When You Came in, the Air Went Out
by highasclaret
Summary: 2nd Story in series. Alexandra James is now working for Eric Northman but how long will that last when all Eric and her new friends seem to do is get her into trouble? EricxOC. M for language & lemons. Rubbish Summary but hope you enjoy & please R&R xx
1. A sharp tongue can cut your own throat

**Hi All,**

**Welcome to my second Trueblood fanfic - based on a mix of Season 2 of Trueblood and the second book in the Southern Vampire Mysteries.**

**This story picks up from where my first fan fic (Fangtasia) left off, so I highly recommend that you read that one first.**

**Hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!**

**xxxx**

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><p>It wasn't unusual that Eric interrupted my work by strolling in unannounced, but it was unusual that I was in his office at Fangtasia, and that I was working behind his desk.<p>

I was there because I was frustrated. I know; no change there really.

It had been two weeks since I had been attacked by Rene, and then healed by Eric, and nothing had really changed.

That was frustrating.

I had accepted Eric's job offer but was still unsure exactly what my role was. He made me think that I would be taking some responsibility from Pam, but she was still very much present around the bar and I seemed to be 'paperwork girl', either remaining in the office or, as was increasingly the case, waking up to find parcels of invoices and purchase orders and other tasks on the door mat waiting for my attention.

Maybe I was being paranoid but I was getting the distinct feeling that I was being kept at home.

Not that that was a bad thing, now that I had my own place. Well, Kind of. It was that funny house where Eric had left me to recover from a particularly large dose of vampire blood. The place was more homely with furniture in there. I even had a bed now, in the biggest of the four bedrooms, and Eric had gotten all my clothes and belongings from Pam's house, so it was pretty close to feeling like 'my place'.

Except Eric could walk in and out whenever he felt like it.

He had also given me some stipulations regarding decorating but nothing that I couldn't get over; no building work, any changes to the big fittings like the bath or kitchen cupboards etc. had to go through him, and he chose any workmen I needed. The one thing he did say that I wasn't 100% happy with was that the largest reception room had to be made out to receive visitors. Vampire visitors. The rest of the house I could decorate in any way that suited me, but this room was for business.

I had left that room until last. It currently had one large black leather sofa (I saw it and it screamed Eric) and a low coffee table. I currently used it as my office.

Working away from the bar meant that my main point of contact was Eric. If I didn't see him, he called me. It was always business to start, but always drifted into flirting. Was it wrong that his voice was just as sexy on the phone? And yes it did give me ideas of doing bad things while he couldn't see, but I always thought 'what if he could see?'. I really wouldn't put it past him to be outside while talking to me, just on the off chance the mood would take me and he would get a front row seat.

But then my mind was still full of those kind of thoughts. I blamed Eric's blood.

For the most part.

Ok, half and half.

I am a red blooded, heterosexual woman after all.

That was another of my frustrations.

I knew the effects wouldn't last forever, but seriously, when would the dreams stop? Sometimes they were just flashes and blurs, other times it was as though it was real life. Either way, the sensations were the same, as well as the outcome. It had been almost four months since I had had sex but now I was dreaming about it on a nightly basis, and completely mortifying, the utter Sod was making me cum in my dreams. He had healed me after my attack from Rene, which I did appreciate, but he didn't tell me the affects his blood would have on me i.e. hotter than hot dreams and even more of an attraction to him, or the fact that he would be able to feel my emotions and find me where ever I was. I had found these out from Bill but had decided to keep my knowledge to myself, at least around Eric. I thought it was quite telling that he didn't give me all the information. To be honest it just made me even more resolute to show almost no change in behaviour around him. No lingering looks, no more sexy clothes around him. In fact, I made an effort to not get dressed up around him.

At the moment I was in what I think is called a 'play suit'. It would have been obscenely short if it was a skirt but it was shorts - so that was OK right?. My boobs were apparent but certainly not overly on show. It was a dark camel colour with a white flower print which I thought was cute, and was cotton so it was great in the heat of Louisiana. Paired with white plimsolls and light make-up, I was presentable but definitely casual.

Eric strolled into his office wearing his even-more-casual-looking sweat suit that he still managed to look great in. I noted his scowl at me sat behind his desk and then all my cool, emotionless cunning that I wanted to employ to get my job role and salary sorted went out the window when I looked at him properly.

"What have you done to your hair!" I squawked. The dramatic change left me wide eyed and opened mouthed.

Really smooth Alex.

"It's the new me" Eric said as he ran his hand through his drastically shorter hair, letting some fall back over his forehead like a real life shampoo advert. He walked so he was stood in front of me, I guess giving me a better look. "You like?" he asked, raising an eyebrow teasingly.

His hair had gone from an expanse of silvery blonde, rippling down his back to a couple of inches, exposing his neck and ears. My curiosity got the better of me and I reached up to feel the haircut and he assisted by bending his head slightly so I could actually reach. The short strands ran through my fingers, silky smooth, leaving my face close to his, with my hand behind his head.

I pulsed at the sudden predicament I had found myself in and a horny little thought crept into my conscious mind; would he resist if I pulled his face to mine and kissed him?

He pulled me out of my haze with a broad smile. "Your pupils say that you like it very much" he leant forward and kissed me.

Now I know that I had remained purposefully aloof to him in the last couple of weeks, and I had noted (painfully) that he hadn't pushed me for physical affection, even though flirting was at times debauched, but that didn't change the fact that he was an extremely good kisser. I know I wanted to act like the blood had no effect on me, that I had been cool towards him but when faced with his lips on mine, pressing just hard enough, moving in just the right way, who could really resist him?

As it was I didn't resist him, at all. In fact I found myself deepening the kiss, parting his lips with my tongue and savouring the sensation. I also enjoyed the feeling of stroking down through his shorter hair and down his neck. He smelled different. I couldn't put my finger on it but he just smelt delicious. I realised he tasted different too. Not unpleasant but it was familiar...

I pulled away immediately but was a bit embarrassed to the reason; what did I expect him to do, starve?

He raised his eyebrows in question.

"You fed" I said in response.

He looked at me for a moment before he smiled "And you mind?" He leant down to continue kissing me but I stepped away from him. He had fed, and I had tasted the blood, and that was a bit too weird for me.

"No." I said, giving myself a little time to think of better excuse than 'Ew, it's gross'. "I just came here because I wanted to speak with you" I sat back down in his chair as I said, "regarding work".

"Work" he said, looking down at me, and not in the flirty way he had been either.

I raised my chin and kept my resolve. "Yes".

With my response still on my lips he lifted me up out of the chair, marched me around his desk and sat me back down on one of the padded chairs on the other side of his desk. Within the blink of an eye he was sat in his chair and had assumed his 'man in charge' pose.

"Now, to business." He smiled coldly, smugly and cut off my objection with a mini monologue "Go through the applicants for a new dancer and a barmaid. Cross reference by previous applications and fan mail. I want a blonde dancer and a Hispanic barmaid. Get Bobby to do the background checks. The papers are waiting for you at the house, where I had expected you would be waiting" I noted the coldness to the tone before he continued "Make arrangements for a flight to Dallas; private jet with Anubis Air. Two humans and a vampire travelling tomorrow night. Keep the return journey open. Then book two light-tight suites at Hotel Camilla." He paused and frowned before continuing "And I don't want any of the donor deals they're offering. Just the suites."

I had to literally shake my head at all the detail. "Now say all that again remembering I'm human."

He rolled his eyes and got out his phone, "I'll send you an email". I had no doubt he wrote the whole thing up in seconds and sent it over to me. I heard the computer ping which just confirmed my suspicions.

"Anything else?" I laughed

"I want confirmations of bookings by 3 am tonight and three candidates for each of the roles by midnight tomorrow. Bring them to the bar." He paused and thought a moment; it felt like he was looking straight through me for a second. He continued in a faux annoyed voice, but it didn't match his face. Eric looked distracted. "And don't wear that again."

"I like it" I said indignantly.

"I don't" he replied absently, already typing away at the computer.

I could have continued but I told myself to stay on track "Eric, I actually came here to speak to you about work"

He looked over from the computer screen to me and then said "You've been doing a commendable job" and went back to typing.

I frowned at his attempt to say what I wanted to hear in order to, I presumed, get rid of me. "Nice try Eric but I'm serious. I would like to have your attention so we can have a professional conversation."

"You would have my full attention if you took that off" he answered without looking up.

"Very professional"

He smiled and sat back in his chair. "Speak"

"What is my job role?"

"You are my Daytime Liaison"

"No I'm not. That's Bobby's job"

"Would you like me to fire him?" he asked deadpan

"No!" I immediately said, thought about it and said more honestly "I don't want to do Bobby's job"

His smiled widened but he didn't push me to elaborate. "Perhaps an Administrative Assistant then?"

"Perhaps an Executive Assistant?"

"It's just a job title"

"Then Executive Assistant it is" I smiled and relaxed back into the chair. This was more how I had seen the conversation going. And Eric was acting just as I imagined. "And salary?"

"What were you thinking?" He asked, his eyes studied my new seating position and I just knew that he knew I had a whole plan for this.

"I want more than Bobby"

I saw his jaw tighten and I resisted the urge to smile. I knew for a fact that Bobby had been given a raise just before I had arrived (I'm sure I had a valid reason to look into the pay role files…). I knew that asking for more than him would not be what Eric expected, and I was fully prepared to haggle down from there; my actual goal number was below Bobby's salary anyway, but I assumed I was more likely to get that if I started higher.

"Do you know how much your working papers alone cost?" I was brought down from my somewhat smug mood by the icy edge to his voice, but I refused to let it scare me.

To be honest, I didn't know anything about the visa he had arranged for me, and didn't really want to know how he had gotten it so quickly "I'm an investment."

We shared a long moment just looking at each other. I tried to concentrate on not looking like anything that would make Eric more upset or suspicious. The more he looked the more I thought he might actually tell me to fuck off

"You will be paid the same as Bobby and as my Executive Assistant, you will be expected to deal with more than the invoices and personnel" Well, that was what I wanted but why did it sound like a threat? "You will arrange your own health insurance and you will be back paid by two weeks."

That was an amazing deal but I didn't want to show any signs of elation in case he bit my head off. Literally. This was definitely not like I had imagined in my head. I had imagined we would cement the deal in a whole different way, but I blamed that on the blood...

Eric was still staring at me, right at me and it was completely chilling.

"I will see you in the bar tomorrow with the job candidates."

I was most definitely, and curtly, dismissed. It felt very strange that I had gotten all I wanted from the meeting and was now leaving with an overwhelming relief to be out of his company. That was a new one. Nevertheless, I decided to quit while I was ahead and leave him to the strange moodiness that meant he could kiss me one minute and look like he wanted to break me the next.

"And remember Alexandra" his voice was clipped and slightly accented, and stopped me just as I was turning out of the office door. I turned (against my instinct to run away) to see he still had his arctic face on "I don't want to see you in that thing again."


	2. What Now?

How had he managed to completely take over the conversation, the negotiations, the entire room? So much so that I was eager to be away from his company. It wasn't that he was grumpy, I had seen him grumpy, even angry at the 'pathetic breather' patrons of the bar but this was different. I guess it was because I hadn't experienced this side of Eric that I was more nervous. He was prickly and changeable and made me feel like I was walking on eggshells. Thinking about it more, the few occasions that I had seen his interaction with Pam, the more I realised it was also curt, and brief, with Pam not making any waves i.e. no scathing remarks or teasing.

I wracked my brain to think about what had happened recently that could explain this behaviour but knew I was missing something. I also knew that if Eric wanted to keep it to himself no one would find out.

I took a deep breath and headed out of the back door. The club was quiet now, the bar being shut at this hour of the morning, as well as the staff having closed it down ready for the next evening of trade. So I clearly heard the screech of tyres from out front and stopped in my tracks to hear what would happen next.

I don't know why but I immediately had an image of a truck full of religious nuts arriving and burning the bar down. I had seen a lot of that kind of thing on the news of late: The Fellowship of the Sun certainly liked to get on TV and preach. Then again, maybe I was on edge because Eric was on edge – did the blood work like that? Anyway, for whatever reason, my heart thumped into overdrive and I turned to look at the door to the bar at the other end of the corridor. Eric must have also been curious as he appeared outside of the office door, blocking my view completely. He quickly seemed to relax though and walked at human speed into the main bar just as I heard someone shout "Eric".

I lingered, my curiosity overcoming my fear; Eric didn't seem too concerned about it but it was Eric; the king of 'putting up a front so no one knows what I'm thinking'. I wanted to leave him to it but wanted to know what was happening as well.

Then I heard a woman screaming and ran to the door. I knew that scream.

"Sookie?"

I ran through the door and almost straight into the back of Eric who was looking at the scene in front of us. Bill was slowly lowering Sookie onto one of the low leather couches. My eyes were drawn to the deep red colour of her back and, as I focused I realised it was her blood and skin and flesh that I could see through the tatters of her shirt. I gasped and my hands shot over my mouth in shock at the sight. It was the most gruesome thing I had ever seen. And I'd had a vampire explode over me…

She writhed on the coach, whimpering and twitching, and making things seep out of the wounds that I really didn't think should seep out of someone's body. I watched as she gave a particular jagged movement and whimpered. This made me move forward to her and try and get her attention.

"Sookie? Can you hear me?" I brushed her hair out of her face and saw her foaming at the mouth. I resisted the urge to pull away, but made sure I didn't touch it. She looked almost green. "Sookie?"

"Bill?" she choked, and Bill was at my side in an instant.

"I'm here Sookie" he said.

She looked up at him and seemed so very small and fragile, not the Sookie that I had come to know at all. I looked over at Eric who was staring at the scene, while his phone was to his ear. It was obvious when whoever it was picked up as a fake smile went on his face and he spoke a greeting in an all too smooth a manner.

"Dear Doctor, I'm glad to hear you're still breathing" I heard an angry, high pitched voice say something that sounded like profanity. Eric just laughed and continued "You are required at the bar. Get here as soon as possible" I heard another tirade and then nothing.

"Are they coming?" I asked, if not I would call an ambulance straightaway, whether Bill wanted me to or not. Why had he not taken her straight to the hospital in the first place?

"Yes" Eric answered, coming closer and looking down at Sookie, me, then Bill.

With the way they looked at each other they could have been having a whole telepathic conversation, but I didn't care. I needed to do what I could to help Sookie.

I got up and ran to the bar, got a clean cloth and filled a jug with warm water and came back.

"She's so cold" I said wiping her forehead, taking away what looked like dirt in her hair, and wiping her mouth of the disturbing foam. Once done I moved to the side and looked at her back, even though I didn't want to. The remains of her white shirt were soaked and torn to almost shreds. She had three tears down her back which I (while trying to remain calm and not be sick) noted looked like claw marks. There was a lot of blood and also clear and yellowish liquid coming from the wound which made me think there was so much more to this than just a mauling.

I wanted to find out what happened to her, but figured that could wait, I needed to do something, like take her shirt off and clean the wound, but should I move her?

I was suddenly so scared of doing the wrong thing I couldn't move.

Luckily I didn't have to make that decision as the front door to the bar opened to reveal the smallest person I had ever seen. She was about 3 foot tall, with a long blonde ponytail but dressed in what had to be kiddie sized hospital scrubs.

"Dr Ludwig" Eric nodded

Dr Ludwig steadfastly ignored the greeting and the nod and headed straight for Sookie. She simply looked at her and then turned on me. As I was kneeling down, she was able to at look me in the eye.

"What have you done to her?"

"I didn't do anything!" I said, mortified that she could think that I had done anything close to hurting Sookie like this.

"No, dear God" she exclaimed, rolling her eyes "What have you given her? What have you done to her?" she said, clarifying by pointing to the cloth and bowl of cooling water.

"She was cold so I used warm water to wash her face and wipe her mouth-"

"Her mouth?"

"Yes" then I cottoned on, such a dumbass that I was "she was foaming at the mouth. I wiped it away"

I watched the doctor take the cloth and bring it to her nose to sniff. She then looked down at Sookie who seemed to be almost unconscious. The doctor bent down and put a finger in Sookie's mouth, bringing the digit out covered in cloudy saliva. While she pinched the liquid between her fingers she asked "Anything else?"

"No. I was about to take her top off but didn't know whether to move her or not"

"Good" she moved round to look at the wounds, carefully peeling away bits of cloth and hair. God it made me wince to watch.

I'm not sure if it was just the movement, or pain, or the presence of another mind that woke Sookie up, but she quietly asked "What kind of Doctor are you?"

"The healing kind." she said shortly, almost rude. "I'm Dr Ludwig, what's your name?"

Dr Ludwig poked into Sookie's back, making her squeal and also making a new flow of clear gloop run out of the wound. Calming down Sookie spoke up "Sookie Stackhouse. Am I dying?"

"Yes"

I know there was honest but where was the bedside manner?

"No" Bill practically shouted this "she cannot die. You will save her."

Dr Ludwig took it in her stride "Back off vampire and let me do my job."

I moved back to Sookie's head and held her hand, she quickly increased her grip on me and I tried to think calming things. Probably completely unsuccessfully.

"Forgive him" Eric chimed in from his vantage point a few steps away "Bill is abnormally attached to this human." I look over at Eric, scowling and wondering at the same time why it was so abnormal. Eric was staring at the bloody wounds on Sookie's back. Big surprise there.

"Well, we don't have a lot of choices, she's been poisoned." I swallowed, and wondered how the hell she had been poisoned by scratches. What is like a werewolf bite? Was she turning into something else? My mind was reeling with all the possibilities I knew nothing about. I looked up at Bill, and then Eric, who was now looking at right at me. "Ever heard of komodo dragons?" Dr Ludwig continued as she poked into Sookie again. Her response was another moan of pain and tightening her grip on my hand, hurting me. How much vampire blood had she had? "Their mouths are teaming with bacteria. After one has bitten you it will track you for hours, days; just waiting for the toxins to slowly eat away at your nerves system 'til you're good and helpless then it will devour you alive"

"I was scratched by a dragon?" Sookie asked. I was about to frown at the idea but realised I had no idea if dragons actually existed. I glanced up at Eric who rolled his eyes at me and gave a short shake of his head.

Well I didn't know!

I went back to wiping Sookie's forehead again with the cloth while Dr Ludwig answered Sookie's question, and continued to examine her with sometimes gentle, sometimes probing fingers. "No, but this poison is way more efficient. I don't think I've seen it before but it's hard to tell without further testing and we don't have that kind of time." She straightened up over Sookie, apparently having made a decision on a course of action. "Give us some privacy; I need to remove her clothing. You" she said to me "stay and assist me."

I looked up at Bill who, through his utterly pained expression, nodded his consent, so I remained knelt by Sookie's head, holding her strangely strong hand while Eric rose from his chair.

Bill crouched down close to Sookie, who suddenly looked a hell of a lot more scared. "I will be just outside, I am so sorry"

It looked like she was about to respond but she started to cough instead of speak. White foam spurted out of her mouth and she gripped my hands tighter, making me hiss with the sting of her nails.

"We're running out of time Mr Compton." Dr Ludwig said over the noise. She wasn't even paying attention to Sookie; she was looking through her bag, pulling out vials of different coloured liquids.

Bill retreated and once he was out of the door the Doctor set the vials down and plucked out a pair of lethal looking scissors. Seriously, they almost looked comically big her her small hands. She took the blades to the bottom of Sookie's shirt and started to snip the material, peeling it open as she went. When she got to the bottom of the first scratch she stopped, and started to gently lift away the material. I couldn't look away though I really wanted to; the material was sticking to Sookie's skin where the blood and goo had dried, in other places it lifted up semi scabbed over areas and others it lifted away easily, dripping so soaking in the disgusting fluids.

When she had successfully snipped through the Sookie's collar she addressed me again "lift her up under her arms and I'll get her shirt." I glanced at Sookie and then back at Dr Ludwig, who somehow managed to look even more severe "Now Missy"

Her shout shocked me into action and I gently shook my hands out of Sookie's death grip, and pushed under her shoulders. She moaned and twitched against me but nothing drastic. I didn't think that would last when I hoisted her up though.

"On three" Dr Ludwig said, positioning herself close to my side, and ready to reach round to get the shirt away from Sookie's body. "Three!"

I lifted Sookie up as smoothly and as fast as I could, keeping her torso lifted and held against me. She felt like a dead weight against me which was even more frightening than if she was struggling.

I felt her shirt slip from between us but we had to get her bra off too which meant some shuffling around. I felt my hands slip from under Sookie and just had to say "Just cut it!"

Dr Ludwig retrieved the scissors and did as she was told (somehow I felt that was a rare occurrence) and gave me the ok to lower Sookie back down. I did just that, but had to regain my grip somehow, so (and completely without thinking) I jerked Sookie up and repositioned my hand.

Stupid stupid stupid

"For fuck's sake!" the Doctor shouted at me, though she couldn't make me feel worse than I did.

The motion woke Sookie up and she shrieked in my arms, spasming and almost falling away from me. I held her tighter, bringing her face close to mine, giving me a clear as day view of her eyes rolling back in her head, the strange milky drool coming out of her mouth.

Then she coughed in my face, spitting globs of saliva and foam over my cheeks, chin, and lips. I practically dropped her and fell away from her, wiping my face and spitting out what had gone in my mouth. It was incredibly bitter and somehow felt hot on my skin.

I looked up, while still scrubbing my face with my hands to see Dr Ludwig turn away from me and pour a vile of liquid onto one of the gauges in Sookie's back. The result held me motionless in shock; she may have well have poured molten metal onto her

Sookie screamed and tensed up in what I could only guess was agony. When that subsided she started thrashing around.

I wanted to move to help but I couldn't.

Luckily Bill was back in a flash. "What are you doing to her?" he demanded.

"Hold her down, or let her die, it's your choice" the Doctor replied, getting another vial and opening it.

Bill took my place in front of Sookie and held her arms down to keep her as still as possible and flat against the couch.

I could only watch with horror as vial after vial was poured into and over Sookie.

It made me feel dizzy just to think about the pain.

"Alex?"

Eric was crouched in front of me. When had he gotten there? Stupid speedy vampires.

Then he moved again, becoming out of focus. No, wait; that wasn't right. He was still crouched on the ground looking down on me. Why was I lying down?

"Doctor" I heard Eric say

"She ingested the poison but she can wait."

I had definitely heard that right and began to panic. How would the doctor treat me when I didn't have any cuts? How was she going to get the poison out? Horrible images of a gruesome operation swirled around my head and I knew I was hyperventilating.

I saw a shadow loom over me and heard a familiar voice whisper "Be calm" which I thought, considering the circumstances, was about the stupidest thing I had ever heard.

How could I be calm when I was dying?

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><p><strong>Hope you liked. <strong>

**Please R&R!**


	3. Almost Insatiable

I must have passed out as the next thing I was aware of was choking on something I was being told to swallow. It was sickly sweet and cold as ice against my throat, making me want to gag, but a gloved hand was help over my mouth until I swallowed it down.

Why couldn't whoever they were just leave me alone? Now my throat felt so cold it hurt, and I didn't like hurting. I just wanted to go back to sleep.

The hand was removed and I gasped for air which thankfully felt warm and very welcome against whatever concoction I had swallowed. I coughed hard but calmed down when the feeling slowly dissipated within me. The smell of the gloves remained though, what was the plastic that they're made out of...? I couldn't think straight.

A pale face loomed into my vision and I was able to focus on Eric who looked very serious. What had I done now? His big blue eyes looked really nice against his pale skin though. And I really did like the way his hair kind of flopped into his eyes when he leant forward. I felt his arms around me and he lifted me up and against his chest. That was nice. When was the last time he had held me close like this? Oh yeah, when he flew me home one night.

That thought made me want to be out of his arms and I began to struggle, but my limbs wouldn't move properly. Not that I would have been able to escape his strong grip anyway, so he continued walking, or bouncing along. Were we actually walking anywhere or was he just bouncing me?

I looked around and my vision had cleared slightly, and I could tell that he was walking me out of the main bar and into his office. He opened the door, entered the office and closed the door again with hardly a stir to me, making me wonder how the hell he had done that...

I felt us both descend and he shifted me so he was sat on his leather sofa with me in his lap leaning against his chest facing away from him. I wanted to sit upright, maybe even get off his damn lap but my more compis mentis mind noted that again, I could not control my body movements. This realisation, now that I actually taken note of it, kind of sobered me up, and I had a dash of panic.

"Shhh" was whispered in my ear. "You will live"

OK, thanks for the clarification but that still didn't mean I could move...

He removed an arm from around my waist, and then quickly brought it back into view in front of me. I could clearly see the tear in his wrist and the slow seeping of his blood out of the messy wound. I followed the flow over his pale skin until it escaped the flesh and dripped down onto my chest. I could feel the coolness of it through my thin clothing.

"Drink" I heard whispered and the wrist came closer to my mouth.

Without thinking I moved my head to the side, where it lolled onto his shoulder, earning me a growl from behind me. He came closer to my ear and I felt his lips move against my skin. "You would rather remain stubborn and suffer?" He sounded firm but he did chuckle.

Oh yeah, laugh it up Eric. Ugh, but he was right. It would heal me and it's not like it was my first ingestion of vampire blood. But I couldn't remember the last time; he had fed me while I slept and my conscious mind was having a real problem getting round the whole idea of drinking from him.

As if he could feel my indecision, he shifted his shoulder so my head was upright and brought his wrist to my mouth again, and didn't really give me a choice, pressing it firmly against me.

I parted my lips and felt the ridges of the torn flesh and the slippery cool liquid. A wave of nausea went through me as I thought about what I was physically doing. This was so wrong.

"Drink."

His blood was already in my mouth without me really doing anything. It was strangely cool, but as it warmed, it lost some of its viscosity, spreading quicker over my tongue. It had the same metallic, earthy taste as you would expect from blood but it was also sweet, but not sugar sweet. Did that even make sense? I was concentrating so hard on trying to think about the taste that I didn't realise I had opened my mouth wider so I could move my tongue over the wound. With my tongue coated, and my mouth now watering over the pleasant taste and sensation, I swallowed, and immediately took another lick. There was less blood this time so I found myself clamping my lips over the wound and sucking. It flowed easily into my mouth and although not a mouthful, it was the most I had (consciously) swallowed.

I savoured it.

As, it seemed, did Eric who squeezed me tighter against his chest, and gave a quiet "mm" noise into my neck.

I gave another pull but this time hardly anything came of it. Eric immediately took his wrist away from me and I tried to move my arms to get it back, but they still seemed strangely heavy. I heard a funny crunching noise and Eric's arm reappeared with a fresh, bloody wound. This time neither of us hesitated and I went straight back to sucking as Eric bent his head and started kissing my neck.

Everything felt amazing and the more I drank, the more I was chasing the taste of it, the sensation of it warming in my mouth and down my throat. It made me feel lightheaded in the best possible way. Or maybe that was Eric's gyrating hips underneath me, which I was happily, enthusiastically even, mirroring. There weren't any "mm" noises now; they were all-out groans of pleasure. From both of us. At some point my arms felt better and I held his wrist to my mouth, rubbing up and down his arm because his skin against my palms just felt so good. Was it the blood or Eric? I didn't know and frankly didn't care at that time.

Eric was kissing me harder now, at times sucking on the sensitive flesh of my neck and shoulder while his hand travelled up from my waist until it cupped my breast. He squeezed it hard, making me groan in pain and pleasure. Then he found my nipple and rolled it between his fingers, sending lightening through me. It felt so good I stopped lapping at his wrist to moan loudly.

I let my head fall back against him and arched my back at the fantastic feelings pulsing through me. With Eric's other hand now free from my mouth it went straight between my legs. It meant that as I moved my hips backwards and forwards, he rubbed right up against me. I had never felt this turned on after so little time. It was almost maddening to think that if I wasn't wearing the stupid playsuit and knickers that he could be inside me. In that moment I could honestly say that if he offered me any more of his blood I would gladly drink it down if it made me feel like this. Every single movement was utterly thrilling; Eric was kneading, massaging, scratching various parts of my body and it was getting so close to being too much.

"Vad nu" Eric growled at me, making me jump at the harshness of it as well as the fact that he had stopped all movement, leaving me in a tortured state of aroused limbo.

"I am sorry to intrude-" I heard from the door, and gave a particularly girly squeal while bringing my legs, which had been spread wide for better access, firmly together. Eric managed to get his hand out in time. I jumped out of his lap and then wondered what the hell I should do besides stand there awkwardly and burning up in embarrassment at being caught in such a compromising position.

Of course, I did just stand there awkwardly burning up in embarrassment, and intense sexual frustration. I crossed my arms and tried to slow down my racing heart and shuddering breath. "Bill" I said, nodding to him.

He returned it and then addressed Eric again, "It's almost dawn and I don't want to move Sookie"

"Of course she can stay here." Eric said, his gaze never moving away from me. Could I actually feel his eyes making trails up and down my body? "I will make sure she is looked after."

"I will not leave her" Even I could hear the cooling of Bill's tone.

Eric sighed, and sat forward, his arms resting on his knees as he looked at Bill for the first time "Long Shadow had a coffin out back. He liked to feed before he slept so it may be messy, but you are welcome to it."

Bill nodded; an acknowledgement and thank you all in one small movement. I thought he was just going to leave but he turned back to me, "I would be indebted to you if you would watch over Sookie." He paused though he continued to look unblinkingly into my eyes "It will take longer for her to recover."

"Of course!" I said immediately and in a slightly too high a pitched voice.

"Thank you. Both" he said, looking at Eric and then back at me before he left us alone.

I looked over at Eric who was sat there looking up at me. It's like he had some kind of switch to turn me on; suddenly I was in almost the same state that Bill had found me in. I went back to him; ready, willing and able to straddle his lap and let his hands and mouth get back to exactly what they were doing but he stopped me. Then he laughed at my no doubt completely shocked expression.

"Bill will be indebted to you" he said, holding my hands away from his body which I was set on unclothing. "Don't you want that?"

I stopped my gentle struggling and said frankly "I want you."

He smiled one of his genuine all out, light up his whole face smiles and I think I melted a little bit. Oblivious to this (God I hoped so anyway), he stood and smoothly picked me up. I immediately wrapped my legs around his waist; my arms around his neck and kissed him again and moaned at the sensation, like I was savouring something I had not done in years.

I felt him moving and wondered if we would do it on the desk. That could be fun. Or maybe he had a bedroom somewhere in the basement and he was taking me. Maybe it was sound proof...

"Ooof" I was pulled away from him and dropped down on a low couch in the main bar. I would have preferred a nicer place but I wasn't going to argue.

Except I did argue because I could see Sookie laying a couple of feet away from me, and having sex with Eric while she was there was just too weird, even for my vampire blood driven horniness.

"Wha-" I started to say but he stopped me by holding his hand over my mouth.

"It is dawn. I must go to ground and you should rest also." He took his hand away and I think I actually pouted because he laughed at me. "I am definitely worth the wait."

God, he was even sexy when he was arrogant.

"For now, sleep" he said it and I immediately felt my eyes get heavy.

"What about Sookie?" I said, a sudden prick of conscience rising up over the horniness and tiredness.

"Ginger will be here"

I wanted to scoff at that idea but he said another quiet 'sleep' and I was out for the count.


	4. Dirty Little Bitch

I felt like I had been teased for hours and left in a state of utter need to have him as close as possible. My arms travelled up his back, bringing us closer together. I moaned at the sensation of my feverish skin against his cool, hard body. I kissed from his neck, following his jaw and meeting his lips. I pressed mine to his before he began to hungrily taste me, his tongue moving with mine. Spurned by the new sensations of lips and tongue, our rhythm built; the pressure building with every sweet thrust. It swirled within me and my whole body tightened; my jaw clenched, back arched and a long moan escaped me. Eric silenced me with his lips and this time it was me that reacted hungrily, my need growing. My hand went down to his arse to feel the movement of the muscles there, to urge him deeper.

Oh God and he did just that.

"Eric"


	5. An Unfortunate Oversight

**Hi All, **

**Thanks for all the hits and reviews, they are all very much appreciated!**

**Enjoy the next chapter and please R&R xxx**

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><p>Hands were gripping my arms tightly and shaking me and they just did not stop. In fact, they shook me harder.<p>

"What. What? What?" It started as a mumble but ended in an angry question as I opened my eyes and came face to face with Sookie.

When she saw my eyes were open she let me go and slumped into the booth next to me "Thank God you're awake"

"What happened?" I asked, my heartbeat slowing down a bit from my shock awakening.

"Nothing" she said and looked at me strangely "Thank God"

And then it sunk in. I had fallen asleep in the bar with Sookie. Before that I had been with Eric in his office and then I got flashes of that strangely intense dream and what I had been so close to doing on both occasions...

My eyes widened as Sookie nodded at me.

"Oh my God" I whispered and covered my face with my hands.

"Its fine" Sookie said, trying to soothe me "Really. Nothing happened"

I looked through my fingers at her and took a trembling breath while thinking how close it had been to happening. How would I explain having an orgasm in front of my friend? Ugh, I cringed; I wouldn't even have to explain if Sookie could read my mind...

Oh my God it was so embarrassing.

"I made a sandwich if you wanted some?"

I looked up to see Ginger standing over the two of us. Could this get any worse?

"I think she's fine Ginger," Sookie said, getting up. "I'll just get you a glass of water"

"Oh I don't mind getting it" Ginger said and teetered over to the bar and started getting me an ice water.

I couldn't tell what time it was in the bar, there being no windows, but wondered how long Ginger had been here watching us. Oh! What else had I been doing in my sleep?

I was mortified, absolutely mortified.

I took a deep breath and straightened up, and tried to push that part of me away. It had happened and I had to get over it. I could be embarrassed to hell when I was on my own. Or tell Eric about it and he could make me feel better. That thought did actually make me feel better, which was just lame.

"How are you feeling?"

Sookie gave a little laugh but mercifully went with the change of subject. "Fine. Bill's blood worked a treat, though I still don't feel 100%" she gave a hesitant stretch and I noted she didn't extend her arms as much as she could. Another infusion and she'll be fine. "Did Bill leave?"

"He's resting out back I think" Ginger answered, bringing me the glass of water. I thanked her and took a big glug.

"Do they make you stay here every day?"

"Well sometimes I just come in for deliveries but these days I've been coming in for…" Ginger gave a small nervous laugh that caught my attention.

"Coming in for...?" I asked her.

She suddenly looked like a rabbit in headlights

"Lafayette? Why would Eric have Lafayette in the basement?"

Ginger and I spoke simultaneously at Sookie's out of the blue question

"What?"

"I just work here" Ginger dithered on the spot.

Sookie moved, I assumed heading to the basement, as I stood and stalked towards Ginger "What is going on Ginger?"

"Take me to him" Sookie shouted over my shoulder, making Ginger scream. I looked round and saw she was holding a small hand gun. I quickly side stepped the pointing barrel. "Now" she said

Where the hell had she gotten that from?

Shaking, Ginger went over to the door to the basement and opened it. I glanced over at Sookie but she was focusing 100% on Ginger and still held the gun up in front of her. I let her move into the shadows first, following right behind her.

Once in the darkness the smell and warmth seemed to surround us. It was definitely the worst combination you could imagine. The air was damp and seemed to cling to my skin, making it crawl. I would have thought there would be a putrid pool down there by the smell of it but as my eyes adjusted, I saw the solid concrete floor open out below the footprint of the building. There were pillars which, I guessed, were holding the building up above us (they certainly weren't decorative) and there was also a circular contraption in the middle of the room. I assumed it was metal but I couldn't tell in the light. I saw a bucket and stains around it and put my hand over my mouth as I realised what the smell must include.

"Oh my God, Lafayette," Sookie ran down the rest of the steps "Lafayette?"

She crouched down by the pillar closest to the metal contraption where Lafayette must be; I hadn't even seen him there.

I took another step down and heard a mumbled reply to Sookie so I knew he wasn't dead.

Looking around the room again I noted the different tones on the floor and walls that were becoming more apparent the more my eyes adjusted. It had to be blood; what else could it be? But there must have been a huge amount of it to cover as much of the floor as it did. There were also drag and splatter marks.

I was so shocked I could feel myself shaking.

I had to get out of there so I ran back up into the bar and straight out through the front door into the light of the Louisiana afternoon. I felt like I was covered in the dirt and stench and just wanted to stay out in the sun until it all burnt away.

He had killed people.

The majority of me knew that he had killed people in the past but it was easy to push those thoughts aside when you thought of them as just that; the past. But now he was keeping people prisoner and killing them right now, while I was fawning over him, dreaming about him.

And if Bill hadn't interrupted us last night... I had been so close to giving in to him. No, be honest, I told myself, I had already taken that step over the line, I had decided to sleep with him and savour every bit of it. I had been so convinced that he was good. He had saved Sookie's life. And mine; again! I was so relieved we had been interrupted. I wouldn't have put it past Bill to do it on purpose because he knew what kind of man Eric really was.

I couldn't stand to think about it but couldn't think about anything else.

I don't know how long I was stood there but Sookie's voice brought me out of my daze.

"Ginger doesn't know where the keys to his chains are. Do you?"

I turned to look at her and she was still seething. I felt numb in comparison "Sookie, I had no idea. You have to believe me."

She looked at me for a second, and then a second longer before answering "I know. But do you have any idea where he would keep the keys?"

"I'll look." and we both went back in the bar and headed to Eric's office.

I hesitate at the door, looking at the couch but pushed it away. I would think on that after Lafayette was free. I looked through the desk drawers and the cupboard-come-wardrobe, eventually pulling out the contents and looking in everything, but to no avail.

I bit my lip and tried to think of anywhere else

He was a monster and I had been so close...

"I just don't know. I can't even think..." And I couldn't. I think I was still in shock over the whole situation.

"I cannot believe he would do that to a human being!" Sookie growled.

I didn't need to say anything out loud, no doubt she heard my thoughts as clear as day.

I should have known better.

* * *

><p>I had the feeling that the moment the sun dipped below the horizon, Bill was up and out of the coffin. He entered the bar and went straight into Sookie's arms, which she welcomed but she held on to her game face. Bill of course noticed immediately.<p>

"You're still angry about our fight? Sookie, none of that matters anymore."

"You're right, I'm alive and in one piece. Unlike my friend Lafayette who Eric chained up like an animal and left to bleed to death."

"What?"

"You better not have known about that Bill Compton because if you did I don't know if I could ever forgive you."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

Eric strolled in and I could see his mouth open to say something but I beat him to it.

"How could you do this?"

"He is a known seller of vampire blood." he replied as if he was bored by the subject already

Sookie and I shouted at the same time

"His name is Lafayette!" "I don't care!"

"I don't care that you're a vampire," I continued, "or a sheriff or that he was selling V. You can't treat people like this. He should have been taken to the police and dealt with that way."

"That particular stipulation of Sookie's employment" cold, hard emphasis on the 'Sookie' part "was that I would surrender anyone that SHE found" he stood straighter after leering over me "I found him."

"He's been down there for weeks! Tortured, bitten, shot?" I almost asked it as a question, wanting to give him a way out of this whole thing, wanting more than anything for him to take, but he remained silent. I swallowed down the wave of nausea I felt thinking about it. Was it Lafayette's blood I had tasted on Eric's lips only yesterday? "How could you?"

Eric remained infuriatingly calm, "There are others that would have done far worse. Isn't that right Bill?"

I saw Bill shift his weight as though nervous to say anything.

"You hid him from me" I said quietly. "You hid them all from me"

"Yes" he said hotly, suddenly now being annoyed with me "They were hidden from all humans." He said 'humans' as if it was a swear word, or something so low he may as well be speaking about a little species of insect that ate shit.

So that's what he thought of us, of me. I clenched my jaw and hands; so much so my knuckles began to ache. He wasn't even denying it. And the only excuse he had was that Lafayette was a V seller? Well, he couldn't have come up with a good enough excuse to justify it anyway so I didn't know what I expected to hear. I just knew now that every single rose-coloured, sugar coated notion that I had ever had or imagined about Eric Northman was exposed to me. It was like they all fell away and I saw him as he was.

Vampire: a cunning, manipulative killer.

I thought I was going to explode at him, but instead I burst into tears.

I turned away from him and covered my face. Such an idiot! I hated crying in front of people and right at that moment it was the worst thing that I could do, but I couldn't stop. I was ashamed that I had been so incredibly duped by him, all the while telling myself that I knew him and saw him clearly.

All I saw was a handsome face and a hot body.

"Don't cry" Eric said and I could almost hear him rolling his eyes.

That just about broke me. I turned and leapt at him. Of course he caught me but that didn't stop me reaching out and trying to gauge his eyes out. My ferocity must have taken him by surprise as I managed to claw down his face, drawing blood. He looked surprised and then angry, which made me hesitate. He ended up dropping/throwing me into the same booth he had done last night.

I quickly recovered and stalked back towards him, where he stood his ground in the middle of the bar. I looked up at him and jabbed him with my finger as I growled "You don't tell me what to do anymore."

Sookie was suddenly beside me, adding another set of eyes glaring up at Eric, "You're going to let him go right now or I swear I'm going to the police"

Eric bared his fangs at the threat, making Sookie jump but I was completely immune. "I do not respond well to threats." he stayed frozen for a moment and then seemed to recover himself, retracted his fangs and became the still dangerous, but more charming businessman, "But perhaps we can come to some sort of arrangement? Please" Eric gestured to one of the bar chairs.

I huffed in disgust at the change in him, or the façade of change as I knew it to be now. I went and stood by Bill, expecting Sookie to follow me but she didn't. She took a seat and sat facing Eric, albeit with the scowl that left no doubt of her complete contempt for the vampire in front of her.

* * *

><p>"So If I agree to go to Dallas to help find this missing vampire, you'll let Lafayette go?"<p>

I had listened begrudgingly at first, but that had slowly turned into curiosity. However much I was frothing at the bit below the surface, I couldn't help that the vampire intrigue caught my attention.

A Sherriff had gone missing in Texas and Eric was sending help to find him, e.g. Sookie. Suddenly the travel arrangements made sense. Huh, I said to myself, if he thinks I'm the second human passenger he has another thing coming. I was through with Eric. 100% ready, willing and able to leave as soon as I knew Lafayette was safely out of his chains.

How had I stayed here so long in the first place? Yes it had started with Grace but I had accepted a job working for a fucking vampire! On what planet was that a sensible decision? Again, I was brought back to my own naivety; how could I have misjudged this so much? I was usually the level headed one, even astute at times, so how had I been completely blind-sided by this?

"No, you almost died last night." Bill said "We are not going to Dallas"

"Bill, I can make up my own mind." Sookie replied, which just made me roll my eyes. She was making the wrong decision!

"I will pay all of your expenses of course, and yes, I will release your friend" Eric confirmed, glancing at me. I immediately turned my head away from him and hoped that whatever plans would be resolved soon so I would never have to look at him again.

"And I want five thousand dollars" she turned to Bill to explain "I've missed a lot of work and I need a driveway."

"You're human is getting cocky"

"You'll pay her ten thousand" I said to Eric out of sheer awkwardness, and knowing how tight Eric was with negotiating "and Bill will go with her. We all know we can trust you about as far as we can throw you."

I did now anyway.

Eric and I shared a look that no doubt appeared quite similar, stone cold stares and dead pan faces. I just wished I had some crazy superpower that made him burst into flames in front of me.

"I don't think so" he finally said, addressing Sookie rather than me.

"Yes, 10 thousand dollars and Bill comes with me or it's a deal breaker."

Eric looked from Sookie, to Bill and finally to me. I didn't care what he saw or didn't see in my features.

"You need to leave immediately" he finally said "Alexandra will make the final travel arrangements." I laughed, I couldn't help it, but I watched as he pulled what looked like a couple of sheets of folded paper from his jacket pocket. "You will need to sign this before you leave" he said, holding them out to me.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Your employment contract."

"I'm not working for you now" God, I laughed again at the absurdity of it. Get a clue Eric!

"If you don't sign, you will get nothing" he said it cruelly, with a smile on his face.

I was all for storming out of there but Sookie took my hand and said to me "Think."

I didn't want to. I wanted to get out of there but Sookie held me fast and stared straight into my eyes like she was trying her hardest to send me some kind of message. Fine, I thought, I'll think. So I did. I thought about the pompous asshole who thought I would somehow still want to work for him. You think he would have more of an idea of how we humans reacted in his thousand year existence. I wondered, sarcastically, how much of a surprise my rebuff would be...

Wait a second.

Eric was expecting me to say no, which more than likely meant it would be in my interest to actually sign the damn thing. Sookie nodded at my thoughts and it began to sink in.

I would get nothing.

No back pay. No re-imbursement for the 'work clothes' I had bought in my happy and completely stupid preparation for my new job. I inwardly gasped thinking about my credit card bill with all the furniture for the house that I was going to charge back to Eric. If I didn't get anything, I had nothing. No money to move and set up somewhere else with. No money to get away.

I turned slowly back to Eric who had kept his smile in place. He lay the papers down on the table next to him, brought a pen out of his jacket pocket and held it out to me. I snatched it from him (earning me a tut from the wanker) and stared daggers at him before bending down and signing the papers.

I straightened up to face Eric once again and said "I quit."

"Your contract requires written confirmation, and a months' notice. Paid, of course. And as you are a contracted employee I require you to accompany Sookie, Bill and me to Dallas."

"I am not going anywhere with you!"

"Then you can be found negligent of your working duties and fired on the spot." He said while inspecting his cuff, flicking away an invisible bit of fluff and returning his gaze to me "Without pay."

I don't know which I felt more; shocked or livid. What could I do? _You could go to the police_, an angry little voice inside me thought. _You could report him, get your money back through the courts and then go somewhere where there were no vampires at all_.

"lämna att mig"

I looked up sharply at Eric's quiet words, and found him watching me intently, no smile or smugness now. Did he actually say anything or had I imagined it... I shook my head at myself. It didn't matter, stay on track Alex.

I wanted to scratch my formal resignation onto Eric's face but resisted that particular temptation. I picked up a blood red napkin, scrawled out 'I Q-U-I-T', signed it and threw it and the pen at Eric with the very unlady-like "You're a fucking twat Eric Northman" as I walked out of the door.


	6. Poll

Hi everyone! Apologies that this isn't an actual chapter but I am struggling to continue as I can't decide on a crucial plot line.

I've set up a poll on my profile which will help me decide and would love it if you would give your opinion. And don't worry, although it is a specific question it will definitely not give away how this will affect the series in the future.

Thanks a lot guys and I hope to move forward with this as soon as possible.

xxxx


	7. Fucking Bill Compton

**Apologies that it has taken so long to update - and that this is only part of the chapter...**

**I hope to get the rest of the chapter (and more of the story!) sorted during my time off over Christmas.**

**Hope you enjoy the taster until then!**

**xxx**

****UPDATE*****

**If you are wondering whether to work over Christmas next year; don't. However much you think you need the money, you need to see your family more. Lesson learnt.**

**Anyway, here is the rest of this chapter and I have ideas planned out for the rest so here's hoping I can get them sorted for you**

**Hope you like. **

**xxx**

* * *

><p>I left the bar and stomped towards my car but hesitated at the door, too angry to concetrate on where to actually go. <em>Just away<em>, I thought to myself, _away is better than here right now._

I heard the door of Fangtasia open again and saw Bill carrying Lafayette with Sookie close behind him. The pained look on Lafayette's sweating face, along with his grey pallor was enough to incite another wave of anger but also an equal measure of compassion. It made me able to chastise myself for being a selfish brat. I trotted over to them, helping Sookie hold his injured leg as still as possible while Bill took most of the weight from the other side of the vehicle.

When Lafayette was settled in, Sookie took charge "I need to get him to a hospital and you need to get as much stuff out of Eric's house as you can; you're staying at mine" I didn't even have time to argue or thank her as she turned on Bill "You go with Alex"

She paused to allow Bill the second or so to deliberate before nodding.

"And you," Sookie said over her shoulder "can hush up." God know's what Lafayette had been about to say.

She turned to Bill again, taking his hand before he could say what was on the tip of his tongue "Don't worry, you'll probably be back at mine before I am" she kissed him quickly and then turned to me. "You're welcome Alex." And she got into the driving seat and sped out of the car park.

Bill and I looked at one another and then headed to my car. I tossed the keys to Bill which he caught effortlessly. I'd rather he drive; with his quicker reflexes and decades of experience I knew we'd get there faster.

The journey was fast but not frightening, and the only conversation was the directions I was giving Bill. When we pulled up to the house it was in darkness, but that meant nothing. If Eric was lurking, he certainly didn't need the light on. Or maybe Pam would be there - If anyone would take pleasure in scaring me it would be her.

I took a moment to steel myself before getting out of the car and heading for the front door. When I realised Bill had the keys I turned and watched as he was just stood there, about halfway between the car and the house.

"Bill?"

My voice seemed to snap him out of it and he looked directly at me, and began to walk forward as though he had to think about each individual step. Upon reaching the the porch he went straight to opening the door and stepped into the house in front of me, which I thought was a tad ungentlemanly.

"Are you ok?" I asked, watching him with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.

"Did you know there are wards on the house?"

"Wards?"

"I'll take that as a no" he dragged his eyes away from the interior of the hallway which he seemed to be examining in great detail, and faced me "Wards are spells cast by witches. These ones happen to be quite strong" he left me to frown at that as he moved to look first in my would-be office and then the living room. "How often is Eric here?"

"At least every other night?" I replied, thinking it was probably more than that...

"And you don't sleep together?" He must have seen the shock on my face "I apologise for my bluntness"

It wasn't so much a shocking subject, it was more that southern gentleman Bill had asked it. "It's ok. And no, we havn't slept together" I said, while blushuing as Bill had seen how close we had gotten. He simply nodded and walked to the kitchen. I followed him asking "What is going on? We need to get my stuff and get out of here"

Bill turned from looking in the pantry back to me and nodded. He held the kitchen door open for me but that didn't stop me seeing him glance back into the kitchen. I didn't like it.

We headed upstairs and I got my small holdall and literally dumped clothes from my wardrobe in there. I went to the bathroom and did the same with the essential toiletries. I didn't want to come back to this house ever again, so I'd have to get removal men sorted to get the rest of my stuff

Once zipped up Bill took the bag and carried it easily down the stairs and out the door. He slung it in the back seat and we were off and away before I really noted I had left the house. I sighed in relief, already feeling better the further away I got.

"Now" I said, my mind clearing somewhat "why would Eric have wards on a house? What do they do?"

Bill looked uncomfortable, which did not inspire me with confidence. "The wards on that house mean it is hard to focus on. If you had not been there I would have walked right past it." I frowned but let him continue, "It also made me want to stay away when I did concentrate" He glanced at me and then back at the road "It was a struggle for me to overcome, but not impossible. I'm surprised you had no difficulty at all"

I didn't want to know what that implied.

"Maybe it doesn't work on humans?"

"That is unlikely" Well, at least he made an effort not too sound too patronising. "Except perhaps the witch that cast it" He eyed me again at this point.

"I am not a witch, Bill."

He nodded but remained silent. Stupid vampire. How could I cast a spell without realising it? Forget that, how could I be a witch when I didn't even know they existed? Add that to the growing list of 'Why am I surprised?'.

I sighed and tried to actually think about what Bill was saying and suddenly remembered Sam's reaction when he had dropped me off after I had been attacked by Rene. I had assumed he just still wasn't my biggest fan but maybe the spells were doing their thing on him. But why not me? I wasn't sure I wanted to know so I asked another question instead.

"Do vampires usually have spells on their properties?"

I watched Bill flex his fingers around the steering wheel before taking a sharp turn. "Its not uncommon, but it can be a bit extreme for an unimportant building. It is a property that he rented out?"

"Yes, but he hasn't had anyone in there in the last 5 months" or he hadn't had any rent on the property since then anyway. I'd seen his accounts so I knew. I figured he had just been using it as a convenient place to take fangbangers for a good time, but that wouldn't make it important. "Could you tell how old the spells were?" I asked, almost embarrassed at the lightening quick thought that maybe Eric put the spells on the house becasue I was staying there.

"No"

Well, that was that theory out the window - or at least on the shelf with no proof.

"So when you were on the porch you were OK?" That is certainly what it seemed like at the time.

"Yes, wards are commonly used around the perimeter of a property"

"So what were you doing in the kitchen?" I asked, pleased he'd walked into that one. My smugness faltered however, as I watched him squirm in the seat. He actually squirmed. It was funny and terrifying all at the same time.

"Vampires often have several resting places they- "

"Eric sleeps in my house!" I all but screamed at him, making him wince. How could Eric do that without telling me, without me finding out? At least I knew what he found so important; himself.

I felt sick.

I had been there when he was. Oh my God; every single orgasmic dream I had while I thought I was alone... And I had acted aloof and nonchalant when I saw him and he knew everything. "Oh my God." I put my face in my hands and continued to cringe into myself. I am such a fucking idiot. Although Bill hadn't said 'yes you are right' he was most definately not correcting me, which was exactly the same thing.

I sat up straight and lent my head back against the seat and sighed loudly "I don't suppose you can tell the last time he slept there?" I asked, holding out for the smallest bit of hope that Bill would say 'oh no, not in months'

"Not last night, but definately within the last week" he answered stone faced.

Great. Last night had been the only time I hadn't been there myself. Even Eric couldn't have planned it so exactly that I would feel more embarrassed than I had ever felt, ever. And so stupid!

"Don't tell me. The house reeks of him. I reek of him. And he's probably been sleeping there solidly for months" It would be just my fucking luck.

"I can't be certain of that" He said diplomatically.

"What a cop out" I muttered, crossing my arms and sinking lower into the seat.

Needless to say the rest of the car journey was in silence.

* * *

><p>After an evening, a day and part of the next evening, I could confirm that I was officially still seething, though my anger had subsided and given way to more selfish emotions (big surprise there). The prevailing feeling, I'm sorry to say, was embarrassment. After all the smart talk I had given Grace and Sookie, I was now an example of how things went wrong. I was frustrated with myself, that my infatuation had gotten the better of me. And I was ashamed that I was so very disappointed about it; that Eric was not good, he was a vampire and not human at all. What human could do that to another person?<p>

But that wasn't right; there were plenty of people who had and/or would do that kind of thing to someone. The important thing was that I wanted nothing to do with anyone who could do that – human or vampire.

Why couldn't things be black and white?

"'Cos that's not the way the world is, honey" Sookie had said last night at her home, picking up on my mental lamentations. She was right, of course, but that didn't make it any better.

I wished he was just bad or good, one or the other, not a maddening mix of both. Eric had kept people captive, tortured them and killed them. But he had also saved my life, as well as Sookie's for that matter.

However disturbing it was to think that I had been living with the guy without realising it; he hadn't flaunted the fact, which was confusing. He probably correctly realised that I would insist on leaving, but I couldn't see what he gained from it. I blushed, of course there was the night time entertainment which I had no doubt Eric would have been an avid witness of. But he kept his promise from so long ago; never without my consent.

I had the even more disturbing thought that maybe me just being there, and having wild, sexual dreams about him, was enough for Eric.

No. I scoffed to myself, there had to be something more, something bigger that I wasn't seeing. There was a reason Eric kept me in THAT house, but did I want to know what that was?

I sighed, not having any idea of any answers to any of the questions whizzing round my head. I felt sorry for Sookie who must have had to endure my stormy mind all night, and day and now evening on the plane.

I say plane, but it was more of a private jet.

Pompous vampire. I certainly wouldn't have booked this opulent mode of transportation, but I had not made the bookings after all; Bobby had, and he spared no expense. I think it must have made him somewhat pleased with himself that he could insist on the best of everything, even if it was for someone else to enjoy.

Saying that, the seats were divinely comfortable, and I had slipped into a semi-dozing state the moment the plane tipped back into its steep ascent to cruising altitude.

I saw Sookie get nervous at take-off but she didn't ask for her hand to be held or anything like that.

Then I thought she probably wouldn't appreciate all the 'me' thinking but what could I really do about it?

"Did you want me to move further away? Would that even work?"

She turned away from the window to answer me "It might do, but I'm pretty much used to it. And to be honest you're being drowned out by one of the stewardesses." She glanced at the two women who had their backs to us at the front of the small aisle, shrugged and went back to watching the passing clouds beneath us, leaving me to get back to my thoughts.

I slipped into a fuller state of sleep for the hour or so of the flight, thinking in my more lucid moments, that it would be nice to get back onto a diurnal life style again. I woke up fully when I felt the plane begin its decent. Looking out the window I could see the Dallas skyline come into view. It had an orange/red haze, probably from a mixture of pollution and the lowering sun, but it made it look pretty. It also made me wonder what the night would bring.

I looked over at Sookie who was avidly staring out the window just as I had been - may be a bit more avidly. She turned to look at me and she had such a childish grin on her face I couldn't help but smile right back at her.

"This is so cool" she said, slightly slowly. I looked at her more closely and saw two little vodka bottles on her fold down tray. Empty. I wondered how many she had finished off while I had slept.

"Only a few" she smiled more clearly, but then hiccupped and laughed at herself. Well, this was something new.

"I know" Sookie giggled and went back to watching our decent over Dallas.

The landing was one of the smoothest I had experienced and Sookie was fine with the whole thing. Though she may have been a bit more numb for the landing than she was for the take-off...

Taxiing took longer than I thought but then I realised we were making our way to one of the smaller hangers, and not the main terminals. More expense, I noted. When we finally got the OK, Sookie tipped the two hostesses very generously and stepped out into the fluorescent light of the hanger.

"Yoo hoo" she called and waved down at the ground. I peeped round her to see there was a limo waiting for us, the driver holding up a card reading "Northman party". That grated on me, and I wondered if Bobby had done that just to annoy me. Though, would he have known so quickly that I had quit?

I wouldn't put it past him

Sookie had ceased waving and made steady progress down the stairs to the ground and then trotted over to the driver. I went after her and started going over the arrangements in my head. We were a couple of hours late, thanks to hold ups at take off, so we would probably miss our dinner reservations, but the hotel would be able to get us somewhere, surely?

I glanced at the driver who had motioned as well as said for us to get into the limo, but I guessed Sookie wanted to make sure Bill was unloaded ok. I would be the same if it was Eric

_No it wouldn't!_ I interrupted my own thoughts with a physical jerk of my body. I was shocked I could still unconsciously think like that. Sometimes I swear my own mind works against me...

"Just get in the Limo" the driver said again, making me look at him sharply.

I stepped between him and Sookie and looked down at the sweating, blonde haired and blue eyed driver. "Are you Mr Jose Vasquez?" I plucked the name out of my memory from the email that Bobby had sent me – finally seeing something good about the guy; his almost unhealthy compulsion to include every detail.

The driver's eyes widened but he grabbed for both mine and Sookie's wrists, which I wasn't expecting.

"Got off me!" Sookie shouted.

I was about to take a swipe at the guy when Bill was suddenly in front of him, holding his throat and making the guy go even more red. "Speak and it will be the last thing you do."

A bit overdramatic but it worked for me.


	8. No Time to Wonder

_Why were we pussy-footing around here?_ I asked myself angrily, earning me a frown from Sookie. I raised my eyebrows at her, in an almost challenge, thinking very clearly; _It's not like I said it_. She rolled her eyes and we both went back to watching Bill glamour the driver, Leon.

We were all sat in the stationary limo, still in the hanger while Bill was going through some kind of frustratingly slow routine where he put the guy at ease. Leon had come here to abduct us (well, more likely Sookie) and if he was glamoured we could find out why.

I interrupted Bill's soothing tones with my own angry one "Who sent you?"

The guy didn't respond, remaining still and staring at Bill who did look round at me disapprovingly.

"Sorry" I said, sounding more defensive than apologetic "I just think we should get to it and get out of here. Whoever sent him may come here to see what's taking him so long"

Bill gave another second or two to just stare at me, something that I did not appreciate, but he must have agreed with me as he got the driver to take us to the hotel.

* * *

><p>After check in, which involved an oh-so-charming gesture by Eric of changing Bill and Sookie's reservation to a room with no bed, we went our separate ways briefly so I could drop my bag off before heading over to their suite to have a further chat with the driver.<p>

I opened the door to my room and was a little bit in awe of the suit. It was HUGE, opening out into a living room with huge flat screen and sofas. To the right was a small kitchenette with a couple of cupboards, sink and a microwave.

Hmmm... the microwave got me thinking. I walked over to one of the huge windows flanking the swanky looking fireplace. I could tell by the street lights below that the glass was tinted but it wouldn't keep the sunlight out. I peeped up between the glass and the curtains and got my confirmation; light tight blinds ready to descend, no doubt automatically, before sunrise. It seemed that Eric had also changed my reservation to a light tight room.

I scowled, and hoped it was just a mind game that he was playing, letting me believe that he could come in at any time he wanted. Well, if I double locked the door at least he'd have to pay for new locks if he broke in.

I continued to grumble to myself as I wheeled my little case through the door to the bedroom where I was greeted with a practically naked vampire that repulsed and attracted me simultaneously.

I spun around immediately shouting "For Christ sake Eric, put some fucking clothes on!" God he made me so angry! Walking in to MY room and laying on MY bed in practically nothing. I think the image of the fire engine red bikini style pants would be ingrained on my retinas.

"You Brits," Eric chuckled behind my back. I heard him get up off of the bed and head for what I hoped were clothes. "so prudish. Why do you turn when others would worship?"

"Worship?" I said, completely outraged by the concept. I turned, I couldn't help it, and found him stood right behind me smiling down at me while wearing a hotel dressing gown. I pushed him away from me, which he let me do as he took a step back. "Why would I worship a monster?" Instead of being angry he laughed at me, making me angry.

"Not everyone sees a monster, Alexandra."

"Just get out of my room" I didn't want to talk to him about this and I certainly didn't want to linger on how my name sounded on his lips. I wanted to stay true to my new-found belief that I should never trust him. Maybe 'trust myself around him' was more accurate. I put my mind back on the unmoving figure in front of me, and felt like stamping my foot "Eric!"

"I am not leaving"

I stared up at him but he was as cool as a cucumber. Infuriating bastard.

"Fine" I said through clenched teeth, "I'll leave." I turned and walked out to the living room.

"And if there are no other rooms?" he called from the bedroom.

"Then I will happily stay in another hotel." I almost let myself smile at my own quick thinking, but that prospect was ripped away just as my bag was ripped away from my grasp. I was turned around roughly to face Eric who stared down at me.

"You will stay"

It was a very unnerving experience to literally feel your mind changing by someone else's will. My urge to leave evaporated, but I was aware of it. I knew my eyes must have widened with shock as Eric leered down at me. I was aware he had glamoured me to stay, but that awareness made no difference whatsoever. Being aware of the reasons I wanted to leave and the physical action of leaving apparently had no correlation in my mind now. I was still very much able to be angry about it though, and I took it out on Eric.

"Why?" I shouted, jumping at him and pounding my fists against his arms and chest. "I don't want to stay with you! I hate you!" I screamed in his ever smiling face. He caught my wrists and pulled them together and above my head, lifting me on my tiptoes. "I hate you" I said again and went to kick him. The speedy twat dodged my foot and pressed me against the closed door, restricting any further movement with the bulk of his body.

I tried to move but couldn't, but I kept on trying anyway. He really was a monster, keeping me against my will, hurting me.

"You don't hate me" he said, serious now. His eyes caught my attention; the blue flickered, like a flame was illuminating his irises but when I blinked the strange effect was gone. For whatever reason this made me still, and kept me watching him, his intense stare holding me as much as his arms were. I couldn't speak. "You love me"

A moment made up of nothing, absolutely bright-white-nothing, but the sight of his blue eyes and sound of his whispered words. This moment calmed my breathing and my heart. His words sunk in deep and spread through my muscles and down to my fingertips. No more tension between us. No more fighting against him.

I gave in.

He must have felt the change as he let go of my wrists and stepped away from me, giving me room to breathe and move. But I didn't want to move away from him. It wasn't just his initial glamour now, it was the monumental building of this new notion inside me.

I loved Eric.

"Undress"

Tingles ripples down my spine and I moved my hands to unbuttoned my shirt. I shrugged the thin, shear material over my shoulders and felt it skim against my bare legs as it floated to the floor.

Eric watched.

I unbuttoned my denim shorts and let them fall as well, stepping out of them and using the movement to also slip out of my shoes. I stood there in a cami top covering my bra and my pair of lacy French knickers and nothing else. I wanted more than anything to be in even less but somehow I knew to wait. Eric was taking his time to look at every inch of me, and I would wait for him to finish before continuing.

He met my gaze and pulled me forward with the slightest tilt of his head. I stepped towards him and let his hands move down my arms; slowly teasing. They moved to my exposed hips and, reaching lower, over my barely covered bottom.

He slowly went down on his knees, and began to kiss my thighs and hips. First he stroked my skin, but he soon pulled me closer, rubbing harder, sucking my flesh into his mouth. My pulse sped away from me. I looked down at the prostrated figure holding me up and met his eyes.

No words were needed. I moved to take my top off and threw it somewhere (anywhere) that wasn't in the way. As I did this his fingers moved to my hips, hooked over the lace and pulled down, his kisses covering what the material had been. I closed my eyes and removed my bra and his hands almost immediately replaced it to cup my breasts. He kneaded my flesh to illicit new ways of making me breathless. His lips moved over my stomach and I opened my legs further for him. I heard and felt his fangs descend and was almost overwhelmed with my want of them.

Eric must have felt it too as he bit me and it was beautiful.

He moved his hands to hold me up, to help me move with him. He drew more of me into him with every pulse that reverberated through my body. And with every pulse he moved his fingers inside me.

There was a delicious tension building within me but it was held at bay with his every mouthful of my blood. A tantalizing mix of building and releasing continued for I don't know how long. I was ready, utterly ready, but my body wouldn't let me come. He wouldn't let me. My frustration would have built too but he was keeping me so close with his fingers that I couldn't concentrate on anything but the moment. The absolute and all-encompassing 'Now' that I was trapped in. I wondered if I could take any more as I felt my body relax. His free hand supported my back easily and he manoeuvred both of us to the floor, his other hand and his lips remained unrelenting.

The change in position meant my pleasure increased, but he was careful again to keep my impending explosion at bay. He made me feel weak but in the best possible sense. He knew just how to please me, how to control the waves flowing through me, to keep me here. I trusted him.

I loved him.

That thought made me gasp with the hit of lighting.

I loved him.

The air was somehow thin and I couldn't catch my breath.

I loved him.

His fingers moved deeper, more urgently. It was the same with his lips, sucking harder, swallowing faster, drawing deeper.

I loved him.

I closed my eyes and left him to enjoy my body, the sensations peaking and then disappearing just as fast. I floated up into the whiteness, filled with the torture of the eternal pleasure but utterly happy because I loved him.

* * *

><p>"No, no, no, no, no" I woke up to the sound of my own voice, my back arched as my body enjoyed the final release of my dream, while my mind fought against it; I wanted to fight against everything that dream represented.<p>

I sat up on the insanely comfortable bed and looked around, taking deep, calming breathes and wanting more than anything for my body not to feel so fucking amazing.

The bedroom was as I had dreamt it, the whole suit was actually (including the light tight blinds), and I had walked into the bedroom wondering if Eric would be in there but he hadn't been. Just the bed that I thought I would try out before heading over to Bill and Sookie's room to further question Leon.

Glancing at the clock I couldn't believe I had had such an intense dream within 10 minutes of falling asleep.

"Ugh!" I growled and slapped my hands down either side of me in frustration. Why did he have to have this affect on me? I hated him, or I was supposed to. I knew I had reasoned that he had done things that were not bad, but that didn't even out the scales; his good deeds didn't erase his bad ones.

Even my dream self had known that. And still I had given in...

I shook my head, trying to clear it but all my post orgasmic-self wanted to do was stretch like the cat who got the cream, curl up and go to sleep. I wished my body and brain were working together for once. These dreams were going to drive me insane or give me a heart attack.

I got up off the bed, lest my treacherous body betray me again, and marched out of my room; I was determined to put that particular dream as far away as I could.

And anyway, there was a vampire, a telepath and a driver waiting for me.


	9. Intriguingly Convenient

**Hi All, **

**Chapter complete! Hope you like and sorry for the delay. I have been so busy that I have lost drafts for chapters to come as well which I was NOT happy about. **

**BUT it does give me a little less pressure to keep to fragments that I had already written, stop stressing about how they will fit together and (hopefully) give me a boost to keep on writing!**

**Really hope you enjoy and please R&R**

**xxx**

* * *

><p>I continued to try and keep my thoughts away from my dream, and I almost succeeded. That is until Sookie plucked a particular aspect of my thoughts out of my head.<p>

"How could you fall asleep so quickly?" one look at my face must have made her realise how much I didn't want to talk about it. She quickly stepped aside for me to enter her and Bill's suite, "the driver's just through here" she said in a lighter tone before leading me round the corner to an almost identical living room area in their suite.

The driver and Bill were sat on one of the sofas, and Sookie and I took our seats opposite.

"Go ahead Bill" I said and he turned in his seat and continue his glamour.

"Leon, look at me. Leon" The driver looked around slowly at Bill, like he was in a trance, which I guess he was (I am fully aware that sometimes I can be a dumb ass) "Everything is going to be OK. Who sent you?"

"Fellowship of the Sun"

A cold chill went down my spine and I remembered my mental image of a truck load of religious nuts coming after Fangtasia. I guess I had to rethink that image; they were a lot more organised than I had given them credit for. I looked over at Sookie but she was focused on Leon.

Stay on track Alex.

"Are you a member?" Sookie asked

"No ma'am. They just hired me"

"Who hired you exactly?" I asked

"They didn't give a name. It was over the phone. Money was put in a locker for me at Grand Station."

"And what specifically did they hire you to do?" Bill said before Sookie or I could ask another question.

"Abduct the Human with the Northman party and bring them to the church."

I suppressed the second cold chill in favour of picking at the part of his statement that was making me frown, "you didn't know there would be two of us?"

"No ma'am. I didn't even know you'd be women. All I know is that the vampires are using a human to find the vampire Godric."

"Do you know where Godric is?"

"No ma'am. I do not"

I sat back on the couch, not realising I had sat forward in the first place, and exhaled the big breath I had somehow gathered in my lungs. Bill started talking to Leon again but I didn't take any notice. He didn't know anything specific but I tried to concentrate on what this did tell us.

Someone had told the Fellowship of the Sun to expect us. No wait, before that, the FOTS knew that Godric was missing. Then they knew to expect us, and that a human would be used to find him.

How else could they know Godric was missing unless they knew where he was? Or they had him? I specifically left the whole load of questions that that conclusion uncovered to move on. They didn't know there would be two of us, or whether the human helper was a man or a woman. So they didn't know the difference between Sookie Stackhouse and Alexandra James...

"You cannot be serious" Sookie interrupted, making me look up at her.

"Think about it. The only people who knew we were coming were us, Eric and Eric's contacts in the Dallas nest. Eric's a backstabbing bastard but he wants to find Godric. So he wouldn't leak information that would get in the way of finding him."

"So it was someone in the Dallas nest," Sookie agreed "that doesn't mean you should pretend to be me."

"I'm not going to pretend to be you." I said, looking over at Bill whose full attention was now on our conversation. "I'm just saying that I could pretend to be the telepath."

"But that'll put you in danger you don't need to be in"

"I'm already in danger that I don't need to be in. And it would only be as much as you're in now." I looked at Bill, knowing he would side with me for the simple fact that it kept Sookie that little bit safer if I was a decoy.

"It has its merits, Sookie" Bill said.

Sookie made an unattractive snorting noise and sat back on the sofa, arms crossed and looking from Bill to me.

"There must be a leak in the Dallas nest. If we go there and sell me as the telepath it may give us an edge when we go looking. Any guilty parties will be concentrating on me and leave you free to do your thing."

Her look changed from hard and stubborn to slightly less hard and weary. I didn't need to be a telepath to know she could see the sense in the argument.

"You never know" Bill said smiling. He sat down next to Sookie and put an arm around her, "If you feel Alexandra is in danger it may compel you to act with more caution." This little joke caused Sookie to give a smile, and lean back against Bill.

I smiled too; in that small moment they looked happy.

I was about to add another point, when I felt my phone vibrate. I fished it out and didn't need to look at the screen to know who it was.

"You were supposed to call the minute you arrived" Eric's voice was crisp and impatient.

Yes, I was supposed to call him, but that didn't mean he had to be so bloody rude about it. "The take-off was delayed and-"

"Yet you landed almost an hour ago." He interrupted, making me incredibly irritated that he knew to check the flight times on the Anubis air website. "Explain."

"Oh, so I can talk now?" I couldn't help the sarcastic remark "Without interruption?" The only response I heard was a sigh and... Was that music? "Sookie and I were attacked at the airport. Well, more attempted kidnapping."

"Who?"

"The Driver. He was hired by the Fellowship of the Sun-"

"As if you weren't already aware" Bill interrupted.

I'm never a fan of interruptions, it's just rude, and so I looked sharply at Bill.

"Would you relay to Compton..." but I didn't hear Eric's words as Bill's meaning began to sink in, and the warm glow of chagrin and anger began to heat my body. Nothing Eric did should surprise me, especially if it veered towards the underhanded, the uncaring or the deceitful.

"You can tell Bill anything you want to when you get here." I said down the phone, finally being the one to cut someone else off. "I am neither your telephone service nor your bait."

There was a moment of silence where the funny, almost-music drifted from somewhere near Eric, and then he spoke up "We will discuss it further when I arrive"

"Agreed" and we both hung up at the same time, though I doubt he squeezed his phone until it crumbled in his palm. Not that I did, I just wanted to.

* * *

><p>We filled the time waiting for Eric by getting fed, freshened up and coming to the finer points of a plan we would put forward. It annoyed me that we had to pass it by him first as it was solid and shouldn't be too dangerous to pull off. But I was confident that Eric wouldn't be opposed to the idea; all the better to fish out the leak.<p>

I tried not to think about the fact that yes, I was putting myself in slightly more danger and keep the logical part of my brain in control for the time being trying to figure out how to pretend to be a telepath.

"It shouldn't be too hard at the nest," Sookie said, plucking my thoughts as she unpacked another sundress from her case, "there'll only be fangbangers there, and I doubt that they'll be around when we're talking serious with the vampires. And if they want a demonstration…" she battered a particularly wrinkled part of the dress before turning to meet my eye, "we'll just have to wing it"

I swallowed. I didn't want to 'wing' anything when it came to angry vampires.

There was a knock at the door that halted my growing anxiety, until I fully appreciated who it must be and my heart fluttered. Yes, that is a sappy way of putting it but think more in a pre-heart attack sense. It made me feel more ill than amorous.

"Stop being silly" Sookie whispered to my embarrassment: did she not realise Eric would be able to hear? This time she just mouthed 'sorry' and we both left the bedroom to see Eric take a seat on the sofa where Sookie and I had been sat. We took our seats opposite, both of us noting Bill remained standing and looking incredibly tense. By comparison, and no doubt on purpose, Eric lazed back into the sofa, crossing his legs and stretching his arms out before resting them on the back of the seat.

I had two heartbeats before Bill yelled, and I saw the flicker of a smile from Eric before it was lost to his poker face.

"You should remember that I am your sheriff Bill. We are not equal. If that displeases you, take it up with the Magister or the Queen."

I rolled my eyes and looked over at Sookie who seemed to be a bit more angry at Eric than I was - he was just annoying the hell out of me

"Listen up" Sookie said heatedly, "We're all here to do a job and so we're gona do it, do it well and then go home" she looked at the two vampires who were silently looking back at her and then she turned her attention to me. I opened my mouth to protest but she interrupted me. "So Alex, why don't you walk Eric through your plan?"

* * *

><p>He laughed; straight from the belly, making his legs move he was forcing so much air out of his body - laughed. I clenched my teeth and waited for it to stop, while Bill and Sookie looked on, exchanging glances now and again.<p>

"You think such an elaborate plan is required?" he said, tittering and then getting control of himself again, sitting straighter on the couch "they are only humans"

I know that I puffed out my chest to that remark and replied sharply "They're humans who captured a vampire Sheriff," I paused, taking pleasure in the fact that my words sobered him, if only slightly "and don't you want to find out who betrayed Godric?"

I knew he did. I didn't even need to witness the dark flash across his face, or the way he flexed his jaw at the idea. I was certain I had only seen a fraction of what Eric was capable of, and knew with even more certainty that he was thinking of far worse things to do to the leak.

Eric interrupted my dark thoughts, "I see one flaw in your plan." I raised my eyebrows, waiting "If you are the telepath, why would Sookie be there?"

"She can be your Executive Assistant" I replied

He smiled at my quick response "Then why would Bill be here?"

"She is his. Her position with you wouldn't change that"

"I do not hire claimed humans"

"Then Bill is your entourage; a trusted member of your nest that you brought for back up. Surely they can't deny you that?" i said, frustrated with his questioning.

He growled and sat forward "You have no understanding of vampire politics"

I sat forward "If they're as pompous and conniving as you, I think I have a handle on things"

He stared at me a while before giving a short breathy laugh, scoffing at the smart mouthed human. "You're right." He sat back and glanced at Bill before looking back at me "You don't need a great understanding of vampire politics to get away with such a scheme. Especially here in Dallas"

I waited again, but he didn't say anything else. I knew it was petty but I wasn't going to give him the satisfaction of humouring him

"Bill, why 'especially in Dallas'?" Sookie asked, sounding decidedly exasperated.

Bill drew his mouth into a thin, firm line before answering. This wasn't going to be a good thing. "Their rulings are simple; if you have wronged them, you will die."

I had to swallow down the bluntness of that statement and turned back to Eric, probably slightly paler.

"Texas has the highest 'human death by vampire' rate in all the new world, and that is not because they're careless drinkers" Although he was no longer smiling, Eric was taking in my physical reactions to his words with a distinct sparkle in his eye.

"They do not adhere to what is politically correct or best for the AVL." Bill said, moving behind Sookie and putting a hand on her shoulder, which she readily gripped onto. "They are savage, stubborn and bigoted. They're…" he struggled for the word

"They're cowboys" Eric finished.

I took a breath and sat back into the sofa, wishing very much that I had a hand to hold right now. I smiled but shook my head at the small movement that Sookie gave me. God bless that telepath.

"OK, so there's all the more reason to be careful around them" Sookie said, "What do you suggest?" she asked Eric.

I resisted the temptation to roll my eyes; Eric had obviously been waiting for one of us to ask this, if nothing else than to give him a reason to listen to his own voice. Prat.

"I agree that it would be prudent to keep attention away from Sookie" He said looking at Bill knowing this would appease his protectiveness, he then looked at me "but there's almost nothing we can do to get the stink of Compton off of her."

Through the protests raised by Sookie and Bill, I stopped myself from arguing with Eric and thought about what he said. My own words echoed back to me in my mind _'Don't tell me. The house reeks of him. I reek of him. And he's probably been sleeping there solidly for months'_. God I hated it when he was right.

"And your suggestion is...?" my question seemed to silence the other two, or maybe it was Eric's wolfish grin.

"You suggest you and Sookie switch places, and I agree. You should be Bill's, and Sookie should be mine"

"In your dreams Eric" Bill shouted, but Eric just smiled back at him

"I did not suggest the plan, I am merely improving it"

Why did he have to be such an arsehole; there wasn't anything that he could suggest that could piss all three of us off more.

"Stop being ridiculous, Eric" I said, with an effort to keep myself calm and logical. It took so much of an effort that I stood up and walked around the room; if I had been sat down I would probably be shaking with anger and frustration. "We need to keep this as close to the truth as possible. It's ridiculous to ask Bill or Sookie not to fawn over each other" I turned back to them on the sofa "no offence guys but it would be a big effort for you to act like you are not crazy about each other, let alone be head over heels for me and Eric. So" I said the word while sighing, giving myself that second more time to think on my feet, "Sookie remains Bill's, and he is here because she is his and he knows exactly how dangerous the Dallas vamps are." I smiled over at him, "You can play the overprotective boyfriend, right?"

He smiled kindly nodded once.

"Sookie will be your assistant and my friend," I said to Eric without looking at him, "whom I insisted on being present because I know exactly how dangerous the Dallas vamps are," I looked down at him now, finding that I had walked so I was stood almost in front of him "and if anyone asks; you gave her, the claimed human, a job because I told you if you didn't I wouldn't help you."

I faltered on the last point because it made me very conflicted; one part of me hated it and another part was used to it. No, be honest, the other part still hadn't realised that Eric was a bastard and was actually looking forward to it. I also faltered as Eric was looking at me very expectantly, and I just knew that this was exactly where he wanted me to go. I had to look away from him, and found Sookie looking at me with probably just as grim a face as I had. Why was I playing into his hand?

"There's no other way?" Sookie asked

I couldn't think of any; it actually made sense and that was the killer.

"A telepath needs protection" I could hear the smugness in Eric's voice and it made me shiver in frustration.

I turned to face him "It is only to get the job done."

"Of course" he said smiling.

"And I am not saying it out loud for you to be even more smug about"

He stood, putting his hands on his hips and looked down at me (in every sense of the word) "Whatever helps you sleep at night, lover." He moved at vampire speed to cover my mouth before I shouted at him "And don't protest too vociferously, there are members of the Dallas nest everywhere."

Once again I wished for some kind of power to torch a vampire at will, maybe then I wouldn't recognise that our bodies were so close to each other. I gripped his wrist and he allowed me to move his hand away from my mouth, letting me speak.

"The suite is sound proof, you absolute tool" I said, this time impressing myself with how calm I sounded. But apparently that made it even more amusing to Eric, who laughed loudly.

I felt an instinct bubble up inside me but mentally pushed it down and took a step away from Eric.

"Come on Alex" Sookie said, "I'll walk you back to your suite" and with that she took my hand and led me out the door, leaving the two vampires to wonder exactly what had gotten into her. I was wondering the exact same thing, especially as said suite was only 3 doors down on the same floor.

I think we both remembered Eric's comments about the Dallas vampires, and the sound proof rooms, as we didn't say another word until we were in my room.

She turned and faced me as the door swung closed, "You don't have to do this you know"

"I kind of don't have a choice, Sookie."

"Of course you do! You're an assistant Alex, this is definitely not in the job description"

She had a point

"I know I have a point"

"Can you just give me a second please?" I said, a bit louder than I meant to. She nodded and I sat down on one of my own low black sofas. I took a deep breath and slowly exhaled. "It will get the job done, and get it done well." I looked up at her "you can't argue with that"

"No, but it's not fair to you. He shouldn't put you through this"

"I shouldn't expect anything less from him, and neither should you. He doesn't care about anything but himself. And apparently Godric."

"But Alex, you…" she hesitated, and I hated it. It made me want to fill the silence but I couldn't, "what you feel-"

"What I do or do not feel for Eric Northman is not under discussion." I wanted to fill the silence but not with THAT kind of conversation. "It has nothing do to with Dallas vampires, Fellowship of the Son nuts or missing vampire sheriffs"

Sookie looked at me for a long time before she said anything "You're as fine with this as I am" she said in a tone that left me in no doubt that she was not fine with this at all.

"Luckily for me I'm not a telepath, so I'll believe you when you say you ARE fine with it"

"Fine"

Another loaded silence that I had to break "Is this our first fight?"

She smiled at my attempt at a joke. "No sweetie. I just don't want you to get hurt. And before you say it, I know you'll be fine but I'm just all for my friends avoiding suffering – especially when it comes to Eric Northman"

"I am all for not suffering" I said, and we both laughed. I stood up and gave her a hug "Thank you for being my friend"

"You're welcome. And I will leave you to get some decent sleep. Or just sleep" she added, obviously picking up on how I had almost flinched at the reminder that sleep wasn't the safe haven it should be. And if anything it was entirely indecent.

"Thanks. I'll see you tomorrow for breakfast?"

"You betcha"

I smiled and shut the door behind her and suddenly felt very tired. I plonked back down on the couch and lay my head back. The back rest was so low it was almost painful but I didn't care, I just wanted to not use my muscles for a while. But the thought of going to sleep and dreaming about Eric perked me up enough to raise my head. It was almost inconceivable that you could be so angry with someone, yet have such hot dreams about them.

And I couldn't escape when I was awake; he was here in the hotel, he'd be at the nest and I would have to… I clenched my teeth at the thought.

I would have to be his.

I should be used to it - I'd pretended before, but I had been blissfully naive about what he was capable of. Now that I did know, could I be convincing enough to stay safe in the nest full of bloodsucking cowboys?

The answer, I was disappointed to concede, was yes: I would be very convincing.

All because there was a part of me that still wanted Eric in the rawest, most base sense of wanting him. My instinct, which Sookie had picked up on, was to be close to him, to be happy with him. I had wanted to laugh when he had because it felt amazing to see him like that.

I physically and menatlly shook myself. Forget the Dallas vamps, I had a much bigger battle against myself taking place. I refused to let myself sucumb to those feelings, especially for someone as wholey undeserving as Eric Northman.


	10. Sweet Dreams

**Chapter 10 now updated with more content. **

**Hope you enjoy xx**

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><p>I kept myself awake, as it seemed the thing to do at the time. However tired I was from the journey and general feeling of 'on edge-ness' at least staying awake was something that I could control. It was a physical act that I could do, instead of the many physical things that I couldn't control. When I was thirsty I made myself a coffee, and when I was hungry I had another cup. Better that than the Brunch Burger on the room service menu that, however mouth-watering it sounded, would put me in a very sated and sleepy mood.<p>

I watched crap on TV, including the stupid 'advert channel' for everything the hotel offered, until the only thing I could concentrate on was keeping my eyes open. The only logical thing registering was that sleep meant dreams of Eric, and I would rather be exhausted and angry with him, than asleep and... whatever I was when I was asleep with him. Yes, I have a very stubborn side.

When I saw Eric enter the room I wasn't sure if I was dreaming or not but when he gave me no acknowledgment at all I guessed it was real life; if it was a dream shouldn't he be kissing me by now? He simply walked in and headed for the sideboard on the opposite wall to me. I watched his face in the mirror as he removed his jacket and threw it behind him (it landed almost perfectly on the sofa next to me). He then took his cufflinks and watch off, laying them on the polished black surface under the mirror. He looked at himself and ran his hands threw his hair but not in the usual 'look how good I look' way. It seemed to be more a comforting gesture. He hadn't smiled throughout this strangely domestic routine. When he seemed to have come to whatever conclusion his thoughts had taken him, he turned to look at me. That in itself made me jump a little, seeing him be so… normal, doing mundane things and then looking right at me, making it even more real.

He came over to me but still did not address me. He simply picked me up and walked me to the bedroom.

What was even more shocking to me than that action was the fact that I did not protest or struggle against him. I could say that I was too tired or it was too much hard work to think of something to say; both would have been true. I could also say that I wouldn't have been able to fight him off, which was definitely the case. But I would be lying if I said I didn't want to go to bed. I wanted to sleep and not dream, just be still and rest and for whatever sleep-deprived-logic reason I truly believed that if anyone could give that to me it was Eric.

If I had been thinking straight I may have considered his motivations, his presumptuousness at simply picking me up and not being concerned on my opinions on the subject, as well as the fact that it was the human torturer that was taking me into his lair for who knew what.

Fortunately I was out for the count before we passed the threshold to the bedroom, and good luck to anyone, including Eric Northman, who tried to wake me up.

I still dreamt, it would be stupid to think I wouldn't, but they were different than before. They were slower and brighter, not taking place in the dark but maybe in some kind of dappled daylight. There were still caresses and kisses, lots of kisses in fact, but they too were slow; I was able to savour them rather than have the need, the reflex action of devouring them hungrily. The sensations meandered over my body, they didn't run or blaze only to burn out quickly. It was a steady building, a slower pace of pleasure that left me completely and utterly satisfied.

I woke up moaning loudly, my back arched and my body greedily thrilling in the climax that the dream had caused. God it felt amazing; not any stronger than previous nights but certainly a different kind_. To go with a different kind of dream_, some little voice in me tried to say over my own moans. I relaxed, spent, back into the mattress and soft pillows, keeping my eyes closed and feeling my heart rate slow down, my muscles stop jerking every now and then, until I was completely at rest.

Then I remembered where I was and jerked my head to the side. I managed to clap my hands over my mouth to muffle the gasp-come-scream of shock.

I was lying in bed with Eric who appeared to be sound asleep next to me. I tried to slow my breathing but it hitched again as I realised Eric wasn't breathing. _Of course he's not, idiot_ my inner voice snapped at me. oh yeah, he's a vampire. I continued to watch his utter stillness while the realisation crawled up my spine; I was in bed with a dead body.

I jerked away from him, my body having previously been almost snuggled up against him, and scrambled out of bed. My movement threw back the covers and provided me with the unhindered knowledge that Eric slept in the nude. I couldn't help it, my jaw hit the floor and for a good few seconds my mind was a complete blank. My body pushed away all logical thinking, all unpleasant thoughts of cold dead bodies, in order to make room for the full appreciation it wanted to give to the view before it. He was lying on his back spread out on the bed, his feet almost hanging off the bottom, one arm draped over his stomach and hip while the other was raised over his head. And although he was still not breathing and his skin was its usual washed out pallor, he was beautiful.

There was no arched eyebrow or sarcastic tilt to his lips. His features were relaxed as only they could be in sleep. _Or in death_, I heard, but quickly pushed it aside. He looked young as well. He could pass for being in his mid-twenties, maybe even earlier, without the weight of his age showing.

It was shocking to see how little he looked like the Eric that I knew, the Eric that I hated. Without consciously thinking about it, I was knelt on the bed next to him, inspecting the completely different man laid out before me. I smiled to myself looking at his lips which were slightly parted in a very human and cute way. The only thing missing was his breathing; I should be able to hear the air pulled in and out of him.

I managed to wrestle control over my body when I felt my hand reach out to touch him. This really was ridiculous. I got off the bed again, this time being more careful not to disturb the sleeping man next to me. I had to remind myself that this was still the Eric who had tortured and murdered people. And it was so frustrating that I had to consciously remind myself of it, as if it was something that was so easily forgotten.

I grumbled to myself, blaming lack of sleep for my irrational thought processes, as I grabbed a hotel bathrobe and entered the bathroom for a shower. I had no idea what time it was, but I sure as hell didn't feel like I would be going back to sleep with him next to me.

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><p>I enjoyed the shower; going through my normal routine was comforting. Standing underneath the warm water I could be anywhere; home in London, home at Eric's (hmm, maybe not), or at Sookie's. It was nice to think that I wasn't in a hotel room with Eric, who I had to keep working for and who would be acting all pompous and arrogant and possessive over me because I was pretending to be his. I found this thought made me scrub my head a bit too hard. Time to rinse.<p>

I would do this and would work my notice and then be free of him. I frowned thinking of the young handsome man left in the hotel bed. I didn't think I would want to be rid of him, but that wasn't Eric. That was Eric minus the baggage and Eric had been alive so long he may as well be hauling a freight train behind him. I absently ran my fingers through my hair, getting the tangles out as the conditioner soaked in, wondering what exactly Eric would be like without the baggage, without a thousand years of experience. What would he be like if he was human?

That stopped me. I didn't think I had ever asked myself that question before. He didn't so much have a 'dark side', more wholly dark, but how much of that was from being a vampire? Was it over exposure to blood and gore from his eating habits that made him so blasé about incarceration, torture and murder? Or was everyone like that 1000 years ago? If he were human now, would he be like the other patrons of Fangtasia; leather clad vampire wannabes? I smiled at my shocking thought; would Eric be a fangbanger? He would certainly be coveted looking the way he does. But maybe he would be more like the clientele of Merlotte's with an honest job, drinking beer, going home to a wife and kids…

I don't know how long I stood under the water thinking about every angle of that scenario but when I turned to rinse my hair again my fingers were well and truly pruned.

Still completely clueless of the time, whether I was late or early, I hurriedly dried my body and rubbed the drips out of my hair before opening the door to the bedroom.

I had to sigh in exasperation at the sight before me; the rumpled sheets and bed cover of a completely empty bed. Eric was gone.

I stood tensed in the doorway and looked around the room, even glancing upwards as I knew the big sneak could fly, but he was nowhere. Ugh I hated not knowing where he was – I would rather he be in full view and terrifying than out of sight and unknown. It gave him all the more chances of taking me by surprise and/or scaring me. I am such a wuss.

I tightened the belt of the bath robe around me and resolved myself to getting ready regardless of the vampire's whereabouts.

I had just finished drying my hair when he breezed back into the bedroom as if it was nothing at all. I frowned as I realised I was relieved to see him. I hoped it was just because I could discount him scaring me to death. I narrowed my eyes when I saw him holding clothes as I remembered the last time he dressed me.

"For you, lover" he said as he laid out the dress with a flamboyant flip of the light weight material. It was nice enough, but not very me at all; a light blue summer dress with pearly buttons all the way down the front.

"I was going to wear a shift dress - the grey and black one" I said, letting my irritation colour my voice.

"This will serve us better." He rummaged in his pocket and produced a small lacy pair of knickers, also pale blue "and these" he said smiling as though he was very pleased with himself.

I looked from the knickers he was holding out to me back to the dress and back to him until it all clicked together and my mouth dropped open "I am not wearing Sookie's underwear!" I stood and stomped over to my suitcase. I will be wearing my own thank you very much Mr Northman...

"I presumed you'd say as much" I heard from behind me as I continued to rummage in search of my own underwear, which I was finding very hard to locate. Gritting my teeth I turned to him.

"Where are they?"

"Where are what, lover?" he laughed and I almost screamed at him.

"You took my underwear." His silence was enough. "So it is her underwear or none at all?"

He remained quiet but his eyes flashed with a dark hunger I recognised, his smile shifted oh so subtly into one that made my angry insides tighten for a whole different reason. My stubbornness faltered. I wasn't sure which course of action would excite him more. Then again, both were him exerting his power over me so they were probably both a turn on for him. Only one course of action popped into my consciousness, and it was one I had not considered before. Hell, it was worth a try.

I hung me head in defeat and held out my hand for the underwear. I think I heard his eyebrows creak to the ceiling but I did not look up at him. I would not argue with him, not engage him in an argument about this as it would only work both of us up. If I complied maybe he would give it a rest.

Suddenly he was knelt at my feet, ensuring my downcast eyes saw him there. I wanted to scamper away but my new plan was in play, and I wanted to see if it made any difference. Pausing only for a second, and not raising his eyes, he took one of my feet and put it through one hole for the knickers, then did the same with my right. I had to put my hand on his shoulder for balance but that was the only physical contact between us. He then slipped the material up my legs, putting the knickers on me himself. I could keep myself from running away but not my heart from racing and certainly not my breath from pitching. The higher he got the more lightheaded I became. My robe was parting with his slow ascent but at the moment where I thought I couldn't resist covering myself up, when I knew he would be face to face with my nakedness, his eyes raised to mine. I couldn't look away, and in some crazy weird way it was comforting to see him looking up at my face, rather than directly in front of him where he would have an uninterrupted view of my-

Oh! I gasped as he pulled the knickers over my butt and snuggly against me. He rose to his full height slowly, now taking the time to look at me with Sookie's knickers on, as well as the expanse of skin that my open bath robe revealed. He was excited, I didn't have to look at his jeans to know that, but he wasn't smiling, so I tried to match his poker face.

"Now dress" he said and left me to it.

Well, I wasn't sure if that went well or not. He had gotten what he wanted, I was in the damn underwear, but hopefully he didn't get a whole lot of satisfaction out of it. I smiled to myself, slipping out of the robe and heading for the bed and Sookie's dress; I would be meek and cooperative and malleable. I would be exactly what he thought he wanted, and he would hate it.

Hopefully then he would let me go.

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><p>The dress fit well and yet again I was surprised that Sookie and I seemed to be about the same size, maybe my boobs were slightly less than her large handful... but the dress was tight enough at the top to make a pleasing enough amount of décolletage. It synched me in a the waist and then had a much fuller skirt. I hoped that Dallas was not a windy city otherwise the locals would get a great view of the matching blue knickers in an unfortunate gust of wind.<p>

Eric was in the living room waiting for me, stood almost exactly in the middle of the room texting or emailing on his blackberry. We were probably dressed in equal casualness, him in jeans and a wife beater with his leather jacket. All black, all perfectly fitted to show his body. When I felt a deep tensing inside me he turned and smiled at me, making me blush. Stupid blood sharing vampire.

"You look lovely" he said looking and apparently speaking only to my breasts.

I held myself in check and said nothing, only going to the door and waiting for him. He got the message and opened the door, gestured for me to precede him and we both exited the room.

My mouth popped open when I saw Sookie. She was wearing my black and grey shift dress. She looked great, very presentable with her light makeup and hair scraped back into a high ponytail. She smiled at me "Thanks. You don't look too bad yourself" we smiled at each other and then stopped. I presumed we were thinking the same thing - we were wearing each other's clothes and underwear. I felt myself redden at the thought and Sookie looked equally blushed.

"I guess it helps with the scent" I said, looking at Eric for confirmation. He seemed smug so I must have gotten it right.

"Is everyone ready?" he asked and without waiting for an answer strolled back out of the room. Guess we were leaving now then.

The nest was not what I expected. I couldn't tell you what I thought it would be like, but it wasn't this. We had driven through the city and into the suburbs. The pristine lawns reminded me of my own house. Well, Eric's house. But the houses here were obscured with thick treelines or hedges and gates. But however upscale it was, it was still the suburbs and that was just kind of surprising. The driver eventually stopped at a large blocked out gate which, after he had been buzzed in, drew apart and disappeared into the high hedge surrounding the front drive way. When we drove inside he stopped us perfectly by the entrance, and proceeded to open the door for me.

I stepped out of the car and nervously brushed the sides of my skirt down. I was very aware that we were already being watched, and that was before I saw the security cameras. I held my hand out and Eric took it without hesitation, bringing it to his lips and kissing it lightly before placing it in the crook of his elbow. I looked around at Sookie and she and Bill were in an identical position. We entered the already open front door like some strange and nervous procession.

Stepping down into a large living room I was surprised with how chic it was; whites and beiges went into darker browns and black highlights. The sofa and chairs placed just so. It was nothing like Fangtasia. There wasn't a goofy toy coffin anywhere in sight. It seemed grownup. The atmosphere though… Jesus. I didn't need to be a telepath to read the people in the room. Or rather, the vampires. There were a few on the outskirts of the room but the two main figures stood ready to greet us, or maybe tear our faces off. The big guy really was big and really was wearing a black cowboy hat! My inner self giggled nervously (perhaps hysterically) but I most definitely did not outwardly show my amusement. He looked like he should be a bad guy. A bad guy vampire, as tall as Eric but wider, with what looked like more weight behind him. He would tower above me. The woman by comparison was petite but elegant. She was maybe a couple of inches taller than me and dressed head to toe in white leather. I almost gawked before remembering that it's not like a vampire would get hot in this weather. It may even be pleasant for her to wear that.

They both stared at Eric until he halted in front of them. Only then did their gaze shift to me. They both seemed impassive, though the guy's eyes lingered longer on my breasts. Well, I was the one without a bra. After an unspecified signal, Bill and Sookie stepped from behind us, as if making themselves viewable. They got the same treatment, as did Sookie's boobs

"Stan, Isabel" Eric said, dipping his head fractionally to each as he said their name. "What the fuck happened?"

_Shit_, I thought as I dug my fingernails into his arm.


	11. Spinning Plates

**Apologies for the long break in-between updates. Lots of drama which meant that writing definitely took the back burner but hopefully I will get back into the swing of things soon enough.**

**Warning: this chapter is not complete but felt bad about the long break. I will be adding/completing it soon xx**

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><p>I don't think I had ever felt more fragile, breakable or corporal as I did at that moment in time. I was so very human, and I thought if these once mythical and increasingly hostile creatures got any more wound up my poor vulnerable heart would spasm out of control. Eric's body contact did nothing to calm me; he was so tense that I couldn't pull my arm away, I couldn't escape if a fight broke out. I also thought that it was quite within reason to worry that Eric might accidentally break my arm by flexing an unforgiving vampire bicep. I made myself stand tall and fight the urge to cower behind Eric, that would not do at all, but what good did it really do when all the vampires in the room could hear my heart rate and smell the fear I was undoubtedly wafting around the room?<p>

"'Could have told me Eric hired a fucking human, Isabelle." Stan's dark, hooded eyes swept over my body as if it was just that; a body, to be sucked dry and thrown away. I picked my chin up at his gaze while simultaneously tightening my grip on Eric's arm.

"I couldn't tell you, Stan. You have been off on your own for days"

"Are you sure Godric was abducted by the Fellowship of the Sun?" I was glad of Eric's interruption, after the initial shock of his opening line the Dallas vamps had turned on each other and started the mother of all hissy fits. Eric's familiar voice seemed to reverberate through me, leaving my insides still and calm.

"Yes" "No" Stan and Isabelle answered at the same time. I was far too intimidated to roll my eyes at them but I was able to acknowledge they were acting like children, albeit lethal children.

"They're the only ones with the organisation and man power."

"It doesn't make sense. This is Godric we are talking about. Two thousand years old" Eric countered

"Old don't make you smart" Stan growled at us.

That sent a bolt of anger and frustration through me. How could he be so flippant about this? Eric was right: what kind of ancient, deadly vampire could get captured by a gang of bible bashers, whether they are organised or not? I looked up at Eric, who I knew was a thousand years old. That was hard enough to contemplate, let alone someone who had lived for twice that. If Eric was as monstrous as he was after a thousand years, what would twice that do to a vampire?

Stan appeared to be at the beginning of a rant, getting all riled up at the prospect of war and bloodshed. He would have been terrifying if I wasn't distracted by a make believe Godric. My mind conjured up a feral creature, a Sherriff that could control the towering beast that was Stan, someone with authority to control the most bloodthirsty vampire; to subdue even Eric to loyalty and respect. Eric was genuinely worried about this vampire, he was important to him. He must be or he wouldn't be here.

So old and so respected, how could anyone like that let themselves be taken?

Wait, that wasn't right. He was taken, and it must have been by force. He must have put up a fight so he didn't _let _himself get taken; he _was _taken.

My eyes darted to movement and I found myself locked eyes with Sookie who had cocked her head to the side while obviously listening in to my thoughts.

_Stop it!_ I thought loud and clear for her. She looked like she was listening to my thoughts, if it were possible for someone to look like that, and she was supposed to be the boring human assistant. Her momentary questioning eyebrows soon lowered as she set her face to continue to listen to Stan. I turned back as well, ready to have my nonplussed poker face on, while still slightly trembling inside, when Eric almost made me jump right out of my skin.

He unhooked my arm from his and pushed me backwards and away from him as he stepped forward and shouted in frustration. "You are completely incompetent! What has happened to Godric that he surrounds himself with clowns?"

"We invited you out of courtesy. This is not your territory, Sherriff. You have no voice here" Isabelle may have been beautiful and petite, but she gave as good as she got; I definitely wouldn't want to get on the wrong side of her.

"That's right sheriff." Stan sneered, mirroring Eric's movement and stepping forward challengingly, while glancing at me with the same superior look on his pale face. "Why don't you run back down to Louisiana? We don't need you or your puppets"

I was vaguely aware that Eric said something quietly back but it was drowned out by my own outraged voice.

"I am no one's puppet!"

The silence that followed my statement sped up my rising blush to my cheeks. I could only attribute my voice's courage by the fact that he called me a puppet, and though it did anger and outrage me beyond belief, I was acutely aware that that was only because it was probably true. And the truth coming out of Stan seemed almost unacceptable.

I cleared my throat and steered clear of the watchful eyes from all around me "We are here to help you wherever possible." My voice wavered but I tried to ignore it. "If Godric is with the Fellowship of the Sun I will find him."

It was a confident statement and I was amazed they all didn't burst out laughing.

"We'll find him" Sookie said, a hell of a lot more confidently than I sounded as she stepped forward.

I looked over at her and she nodded reassuringly at me. I took a deep breathe "We need a plan."

"We have a plan" Stan growled at me and I had the distinct impression that he would have taken another step forward if Eric was not between the two of us.

"It's not a plan it's a movie" Isabelle sneered

"It's not a movie. Its war" Stan said to Isabelle and was instantly lured back into a soap box style tirade of the glory of bloodshed.

Eric muttered "idiots" and stalked around the room, I guess to relieve some of his pent up aggression. I could almost see it rolling off him. It left me feeling very exposed and I couldn't stop my eyes from following him until he disappeared out of my vision. I resisted the urge to turn and keep watching him. I heard him pace around and then stop behind me. He was close enough that I could smell him. Maybe he was resisting the temptation to touch me, like I was him? _Stop being stupid, Alex_, I told myself and looked over at Sookie to see if she had heard my embarrassing inner musings. She didn't look like she did but I knew that that was no guarantee.


	12. Panic Stations?

**Its been a while but I hope to return slowly but surely. **

**Hope you like the little tease to get you back in the mood :)**

**HAC xx**

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><p>I remember getting out of the car and thinking that it was so hot that the tarmac seemed to radiate any heat that wasn't already beating down on the top of my head. I felt drenched as soon as I was out of the aircon of the car. Not only that, the sun was reflecting off of the big sign on the lawn beside the imposing Fellowship of the Sun church, blinding me. It felt like it was assaulting me from all angles. <em>Maybe it really was bad to lie in a<em> _church_ I thought when our squinting party of Sookie, Hugo and I recognised a sunny yellow suited, blonde haired, white teethed right-out-of-a-beauty pageant lady turn and greet us. Sarah Newlin

Her smile and outfit and general demeanour seemed so sanguine it was just as assaulting as the sun was. Or maybe I just needed to be less cynical, grumpy and get out in the daylight a bit more. I felt a pinch and I turned to Sookie, I imagined she was reproaching me for my thoughts, but she wasn't there.

And it was cold and dark. I wanted to move my wrist to see what the pain was but it wouldn't move.

No wait, I remember following the vanilla pudding Sarah into the church, the beautiful church to be fair to whoever the FOTS had paid to design and build the church. The light was less harsh, and streaming through the floor to ceiling windows behind the alter, it really was beautiful. The light oak or cedar wood that was exposed in the pews, pillars and rafters added to the effect, and continued through the corridors we went through. Past the offices, down the stairs. The wood was smooth but sharp. It hurt.

I tried to move my wrist again, this time hearing rattling, making myself jump, maybe even waking myself up a bit more. Where was I? How had it gotten so dark and so cold? I shivered and a throbbing pain became sharper in my head and shoulder. It was like a numbness was wearing off and I felt cuts and bruises bloom down my left hand side. I tried to remember but all I saw was the wood cladding on the walls getting darker as we were lead deeper into a labyrinth of hallways. The wood was smooth and sharp as I fell. No, there was someone holding my ankle which meant I was pulled down stairs. My fingers nails hurt and I remembered or imagined clinging to the door frame, not wanting to go down any further into the darkness. I didn't know what was real or imagined but that had little impact on the echo of panic that really was taking hold of me, crawling its way down my back.

I was screaming and so was Sookie. He liked it when Sookie screamed. He said he liked blondes more.

With my eyes wide open, more open than they had ever felt before I could see nothing in front of me and could only hear my laboured and fast breathing but I couldn't stop. I could feel a scream well up inside me. Why couldn't I move? I needed to go but I couldn't remember why it was so important to get out of this room. I wanted to put my arms in front of me to feel something, try to make sense of where I was, make sense of anything but they were restrained above my head. That's what had been making the noise, it felt like my wrists were cuffed with manacles. I pulled on them harder, making more noise. I just needed to get free and get out of this room.

Then everything stopped. A simple touch to my chin to bring it up and looking at someone in front of me. The smallest glint on a liquid eye was all it took.

"Be calm" and I was. Even though I was chained up in a pitch black room with a vampire.


End file.
